I Caught Myself Robert Pattinson
by yeskateison9999
Summary: Do you ever feel like nothing ever goes your way? You sit and watch those closest to you living your dream and they don't even realize how hard it is on you. And then, one night changes everything.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

_Great_. I knew this was a bad idea. I knew the night would end like this. It always did. And for some reason I kept putting myself in this position. Me, leaving the cozy little Italian restaurant, Il Sole, alone. Ditched by my _supposedly_ two best friends, Amanda and Ethan.

Amanda is my college roommate. Amanda and I met in high school and we have been inseparable ever since. Well, that is until I introduced her to Ethan, who I had met in our Sociology class at UCLA. They hit it off immediately. I will willingly admit that I did become a tad jealous of their instant bond. For once, I thought that I could have a friendship with a guy who didn't fall head over heels for my cheery-always-happy-cheerleader of a best friend. But it was inevitable. It always was.

I was the queen of the third wheel.

Amanda and Ethan couldn't keep their hands off each other the entire dinner. They giggled and stared into each other's eyes and left me feeling completely nauseous at the opposite side of the booth. Finally, they courteously excused themselves, tossing three twenty-dollar bills on the mahogany dining table to cover their food and tip.

Last time I accept a pity invite from them on Valentine's Day. I politely declined their invitation at first, but Ethan insisted that the evening would be just three best friends hanging out, no lovey dovey romantic nonsense from them. I could tell Amanda was annoyed at my tagging along. I was not the only one that didn't want me to be there.

I anxiously waited for the waiter to bring the check so I could bolt out of here without anyone noticing that I was leaving solo. A few minutes seemed more like a few hours as I sat insecurely, pondering who was looking at me pathetically sitting by myself on Valentine's Day. So many times, I have been told not to care what other people think of me, but I just couldn't help it. It was natural to me.

Finally the waiter reached my table, shooting me a concerned glance. "Where did the rest of your party go, miss?"

I sighed, wishing he hadn't brought the unwanted attention to their obvious absence. "My friend got sick, so he took her home," I lied, biting my tongue.

He gasped. "Oh no. The food didn't sit well with her?" he asked worriedly.

I shook my head. "No, no. Just morning sickness." I laughed at my little joke.

His face went from concerned to shocked in a matter of seconds. He dropped the check on the table and skittishly walked back towards the kitchen with our empty dishes.

I placed the bills inside the black leather notebook and rushed towards the restroom, keeping my head down so I couldn't see if anyone was looking at me. I set my purse on the counter, careful to avoid any water spots and took a deep breath, focusing on my reflection in the mirror. After I calmed my nerves, I picked up my belongings and blindly pushed open the heavy granite door.

"Wow," a voice laughed out, holding open the door for me.

Without looking up, I started frantically apologizing for hitting the man with the door. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see…" I paused, speechless, as I looked up at the young man before me. His golden brown hair was going every which way, but it oddly framed his chiseled face perfectly.

He smiled, bearing all his teeth. "Don't be silly. I got in your way," he chuckled and slipped into the men's bathroom.

A small smile curved over my lips as I recovered myself and walked out onto a suspiciously quiet and cold Sunset Boulevard. I pulled out my phone, checking the time. It was already half past nine so there was no way I would get anyone to come pick me up. Not on Valentine's Day.

My phone vibrated once and then again, alerting me that I received a text message from Amanda. It read, "Hey Emma. Use the money leftover from dinner for a cab. Be safe. Love you!" I blew out a heap of frustration. I bet she never tried to catch a cab in L.A. on a Saturday night. It wasn't the easiest thing to do.

Behind me, I heard the door of the restaurant swing open. Instinctively, I turned my head to look, but regretted that decision as soon as I saw the man from the bathroom heading straight towards where I stood.

I quickly rotated my focus back towards the street and dialed the number of the cab service. Self-consciously holding the phone up to my ear, I tried to deter any conversation with the man that I could sense was nearly a few feet behind me.

"Waiting for a ride?" he asked me in his staggeringly enticing accent. He raised his eyebrows in my direction as he pushed both his hands inside his front jean pockets.

I stared at him for a few moments, mesmerized by his golden eyes that were accentuated by a thick layer of black lashes. The ringing of the phone held to my ear was background music to his beautiful voice.

"Hello? Hello? Is anyone there?" an irritated woman's voice ceased my momentary lapse of thought.

"Ugh," I moaned and hung up the phone. "Line was busy," I lied.

The man pursed his lips and nodded his head. "Whose line?"

"The um…cab service," I nervously spoke, trying to get my story straight.

Meanwhile the mysterious restroom man handed the valet service his ticket to get his car. "I see," he said as fixated himself so he was standing next to me facing the street. He started swaying back and forth in his black Nike tennis shoes, making me a little uncomfortable. My eyes wandered all around me, waiting for something to happen – for him to say something to make this situation any less awkward. Nothing.

I finally caved and peered up at him, trying to make it as discreet as possible, but his eyes locked on mine at the same time. I lost it. All the nerves inside of me were racing uncontrollably. Those eyes.

I heard a clashing noise in front of me and noticed that I dropped my phone in the process of losing my mind. "Ah."

"Let me get…" he began reaching for the shattered Blackberry on the cement. But I was already bent over in front of him grabbing all the pieces. When I put on the fitted black skirt tonight, I wasn't expecting to be in this position. But, I used it to my advantage, flaunting my curves on my way up with the "bend and snap" routine I always wanted to use from "Legally Blonde."

He mumbled something unintelligible. I stood before him smiling bashfully, waiting for him to try again. "Is it broken?" he asked me, looking at my hands that held three separate parts of a decapitated phone.

I shrugged. "Looks that way."

"Hmm," he muttered. "One moment."

I watched as he walked towards the edge of the sidewalk and handed a wad of cash into the valet's hands. Surprisingly, he waved me over to his car. A silver Audi convertible.

Without thinking, my feet moved me to him. He was now leaning against the side of the car. "So can I give you a ride home?" he asked gleaming.

I hesitated. "Um." As much as I wanted to take the ride, I knew it was a stupid and irrational idea. I didn't know him at all and this was Los Angeles. There are some wacko people out here. "If I could just borrow your phone, I could call a cab to get me," I reasoned with myself.

His smile radiated across his unshaven face. "I really can't afford to waste any of my minutes," he smirked.

"But you would waste your gas?" I asked sharply, playing up his charm.

He chuckled. "Do you want the ride or not?" he asked as he opened up the passenger's door.

I stepped closer and positioned myself in front of him, holding on to the opened door. "Before I say yes, I need to know a few things."

He acknowledged my request and perked up as to listen intently.

"First off, what is your name?"

"Rob. Twenty-two. No criminal record of any sort," he laughed. "Yet."

I shot him a disconcerting look.

"Kidding!" he said as he put up his hands as to surrender.

Somewhat reassured by his humor and magnetism, I convinced myself that he had good intentions. "I'm Emma," I stated as I held out my hand for him to shake, but he rejected it. Instead he led me into the car by gently pressing his hand against the small of my back.

The black leather seats were freezing cold, even chillier than the outside air. I hugged my body for warmth, bringing my legs up off the seat.

Rob pushed a button on the dashboard. "Seat warmers," he told me.

I slowly lowered my shaking legs back to the seat and put on my seatbelt.

"I have to warn you," he began. "I'm not the world's best driver."

"Great," I rolled my eyes. "Couldn't you have told me that _before_ I got in the car with you?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" he giggled.

I sunk into my seat and peered out the window. "I live at the apartments at the Grove," I stated.

"Mmk. Here we go," he said as he rolled down his window, sticking his head out to look for cars coming. He slowly pulled out into the street and headed towards my apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

The car ride was uncomfortably silent. I spent most of the time staring out my window people watching, occasionally being swung forward by Rob's sudden slamming of the brakes.

"Sorry," he mumbled embarrassed.

I giggled. "In all fairness, you did warn me about your driving skills, or lack there of."

I glanced over at him. His eyes were still concentrating on the road, but that didn't hide his beautifully shy grin that shone across his face.

When I stopped looking at him, I realized that we were already at my apartment building. "You can just drop me off here," I pointed to the side of the street in front of the Grove.

He hesitated a little. "I'd rather park the car and walk you in. I don't feel comfortable dumping you on the side of the street, especially when you're phone is completely dismantled."

I couldn't help but smile. "That's very sweet of you, but completely unnecessary," I told him as I got out of the car. He walked around to my side of the car to hold the door open. "Look at these shoes I'm wearing. These could do some serious damage," I laughed as I pointed to my five-inch heels.

Rob's eyes got wide as he peered down at my stilettos. Shaking his head in disbelief, he asked, "How do you walk in those, woman?"

"Practice," I explained as I strutted out in front of him, showcasing the shoes.

He rubbed his fingers to his chin. "Impressive."

We took the elevator down from the parking structure, which dropped us in the middle of the shopping center. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday night, except for the few couples that were walking around. I wonder if people thought Rob and I were a couple, I thought to myself.

"So you're not from around here, are you?" I asked as respectfully as I could.

"Ha. It's that obvious, is it?" he laughed.

"The accent kinda gives it away," I told him. "England?"

He nodded. "Yes. London."

"So what made you come to Los Angeles?" I asked questionably.

He looked down towards the brick pathway and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Well," he said. "It's a long story, actually."

"Oh, gosh. Shit!" I yelled under my breath.

"What? What did I say?" he asked completely baffled.

"No! Not you," I tried to explain as quickly as possible. "My ex-boyfriend and his girlfriend are walking out of that restaurant right there." I subtly pointed to the Mexican restaurant only about fifty feet in front of us. I could tell Rob was examining Stephen and what's-her-name as they walked towards us.

"What do we do?" he asked almost worriedly.

"Um," I thought as I kept tiptoeing my way towards them. "Just act like you know me. You know. Like pretend we just didn't meet tonight, ok?" I asked nervously.

"Right," he stated calmly as he ran his hands through his hair.

I closed my eyes and clenched my fists tight. "Deep breaths…deep breaths," I kept telling myself.

My meditation was brusquely interrupted by Rob's strong grip on my forearms, pushing me back into a wall. My eyes must have displayed how frightened I was by his sudden movements because he gently touched his fingertips to my pink lips. "Shh," he whispered soothingly and then grabbed my face with his cold, soft hands. "Just go with it." I nodded obediently. He firmly pressed his lips to mine. A perfect fit. Our lips moved together in sync until he pulled away.

Stunned by the intensity – the perfection – of the kiss, I couldn't even remember where I was. Rob's hand squeezed mine and dragged me back to the pathway where Stephen and his girlfriend were now sitting on a bench talking.

Slightly embarrassed by the PDA, I hid my face with my free hand as Rob and I walked hand in hand past the couple.

"Emma!" Stephen's voice called after me. I tried to ignore it and continue walking, but Rob stopped to face Stephen. I nudged Rob's side with my elbow, making him aware of my disapproval. "Hey Emma!" Stephen repeated. "How are you doing?" he asked surprisingly happy.

I hesitated a little. "I'm good, Stephen, how are you?" I answered generically.

"I'm all right," he replied, looking right at me. His girlfriend cleared her throat. "Oh," he stammered. "Emma, this is my girlfriend, Sarah. Sarah this is my uh my friend Emma."

"So nice to meet you," Sarah stated in a fake voice.

"You too," I politely agreed. "This is my umm…"

"I'm Rob," Rob stated confidently, holding out his hand to shake Stephen's. "Emma's boyfriend." He replaced his hand from Stephen's grip to around my waist, sending chills up my spine.

Stephen laughed under his breath a little. "Emma, you never told me you had a boyfriend."

"Uh," I started.

"Babe?" Rob pulled me closer against him. "Have you been keeping me a secret?" he chuckled teasingly.

I had absolutely no idea what to say. All I wanted to do was walk away. But Stephen and Sarah continued staring at me intently, waiting for a response.

Think, Emma. You can do this, I told myself. I hugged Rob tightly and looked deep into his golden eyes. "I just didn't want to have to share you," I smiled up at him.

Rob grinned, pursing his lips. Before I could look away, he planted a light kiss on my forehead. He then turned his attention back to Stephen and Sarah. "Well, I think it's time I get her back home. It was great meeting you two. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Happy Valentine's Day." He was so well spoken; it was unbelievable.

"Bye Em. Bye Rob," Stephen replied as he watched us walk away. Rob's hand didn't move from around my waist and I was absolutely pleased with that.

"Thank you so much," I told him, relieved. "How did you do that though? You're such a good actor. Stephen totally bought it."

He laughed to himself. "That's because I am an actor." He looked behind us and then removed his arm from around my back. I glanced back to see that Stephen and Sarah were now walking in the opposite direction of us. Of course, Rob only kept his hand there while it was needed.

"Oh," I tried to force a smile.

"That's why I came to Los Angeles."

"What?" I asked, trying to conceal the disappointment from my voice.

"You asked me why I moved to L.A. from London. I moved because I'm an actor," he explained. "It's easier to get jobs here."

"Gotcha," I answered, suddenly uninterested in anything he had to say. I just wanted to get to my room and forget about this torturous night. First, being ditched, then running into Stephen and his girlfriend, and now being crushed by a guy I barely knew.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

"I think I can manage to get home safely from here," I muttered annoyed.

I could sense Robert's eyes looking intently in my direction, waiting for me to make eye contact with him, but I didn't budge. I centered my attention straight ahead of me as I continued the walk to the building. "I really don't mind walking you to your door," he offered sincerely.

"No, really. I'm good," I stated, stopping abruptly at the bottom of the staircase.

"Emma," he said, gently tilting my chin up so our eyes met. "It would really give me a peace of mind if I saw you to your door."

Rolling my eyes, I started walking up the narrow staircase. "If you insist," I yelled back at him. I really wasn't into this whole protective show he was putting on. I could take care of myself. And right now, I just really wanted to be alone.

Once I reached my doorstep, I began digging through my purse for my keys. I really needed to clean out my bag – it was filled with receipts, gum wrappers, loose school papers, etc.

Rob laughed as I poured the contents of my purse onto the ground. I patted my purse down, making sure the keys weren't lodged in a hidden pocket before I began picking through everything on the ground. Robert laughed, "Can't find your keys?"

"They're here somewhere," I snickered.

He kneeled down across from me, sorting through my belongings, trying to help me find my missing keys. "I don't think they're here. Are you sure you brought them?"

It took a while for me to answer. I thought about my night, retracing all my steps in my mind. Ethan called to tell Amanda and me he was out front. I grabbed my purse and Amanda took her keys off the counter and put them in her clutch. "Damn it," I complained and I slid down the wall, stretching my legs out in front of me.

Robert replaced everything neatly back into my purse and took a seat next to me outside my door. "What do you want to do?" he asked softly, obviously not wanting to mess with my temper.

I sighed. "What is there to do besides wait for Amanda to come home?" I asked somewhat rhetorically.

"Is Amanda your roommate?" he asked genuinely curious.

"Yeah," I smiled. "She's at her boyfriend's apartment. She shouldn't be too late. I can just wait for her here. I'm safe and enclosed in the building. You should get home."

"Can't you just call he…oh wait, never mind," he tried not to laugh. "I forgot about your phone."

"Yeah," I exhaled. "Are you sure it's not Friday the 13th?" I joked.

Robert laughed loudly, "No, but yesterday was. Maybe the bad luck is just coming a day late for you. Maybe I should go. I don't want any of your bad luck to rub off on me."

"Hey!" I hit him in the arm. "It's not my fault that everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for me tonight."

"You must have done something to deserve it," he teased and then twitched when I pretended to punch him in the arm again. We both laughed. "But seriously, what happened tonight?" he began to say in a more kindhearted voice. "Why were you leaving the restaurant alone?"

I looked down, embarrassed, and began playing with my purse straps. "It's kind of humiliating. My two best friends – my roommate, Amanda, and her boyfriend, Ethan, ditched me. We all went to dinner together, but they left early, taking the car and the keys with them."

Robert nodded. "And that's where I came in."

"Yup," I agreed. "Wait, you left the restaurant alone, too. What happened to your date?"

"Well," he started, scratching his head. "I didn't have a date. I was just hanging out with a couple of my buddies at the bar. And then…"

"And then they ditched you?" I asked, quite pleased I wasn't the only loner on Valentine's Day.

"Not exactly. I actually ditched them," he laughed shyly. "I noticed you in the restaurant and when you got up, my buddies basically pushed me off my barstool towards the bathroom."

"Wait a second. Why did your friends force you over towards me?"

His face began to turn red and he refused to look up at me. "Because I wanted to talk to you. I thought you were pretty," he shook his head mortified by telling me the whole truth. He glanced up at me. "You are beautiful."


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

I stared at him in disbelief. Did he really just tell me I was beautiful? Then why did he act so nonchalant about kissing me and pretending he was my boyfriend?

…Unless he wasn't really acting like he said he was. Maybe he really did want to kiss me.

Maybe I was reading too much into this. Typical over-analyzer.

"EMMA! What on earth are you doing out here?!" I heard Amanda yell from down the hallway. Robert and I were startled by the sudden noise. Amanda pulled out her keys from her silver rhinestone clutch. "I'm so sor – OH MY GOD. Edward Cullen?!" She shook her head feverishly. "I mean – Robert Pattinson! Is that you?" She looked down at Robert and then at me and then back at Rob.

"Amanda, what are you talking about? Do you know each other or something?" I asked completely perplexed as to why my roommate was practically hyperventilating.

Rob chuckled softly, shaking his head as he stood up. Before he could say anything, Amanda started again. "It is you! Emma, how could you not know who he is? Harry Potter…Twilight?"

Robert helped me up to my feet. "I had no idea…" I started. "Now that she said something, you do look kinda familiar. Why didn't you tell me?" I asked as calmly as possible.

"Well, I did tell you I was an actor. I don't go around telling people, 'Hey, I'm Edward Cullen, the perfect man, er, vampire,'" he said in a snotty imitation.

"Oh, really," I replied. "I thought you would use that to your advantage. Would have worked on me," I smiled and nudged him in the arm.

Robert lightly stroked my cheek with his fingers. I got lost in his golden eyes. He pursed his lips, displaying a seductive smile on his face. I waited, wondering if he was going to kiss me or simply continue to stare into my eyes. Honestly, I'd be fine with either. His head slowly drew closer to mine. This was it.

"Ahem!" Amanda coughed from behind Robert. Rob rolled his eyes and sighed as he turned to face my incredibly irritating roommate, making me giggle at his frustration. Countless times I found myself wanting to rip her head off after she spoiled perfect moments for me. This wasn't the first. And for some reason, because of Robert's comical reaction, I didn't hate her as much as I should right now. "Can I just get inside? It's freezing out here!" she exclaimed as I realized Rob and I were blocking the doorway.

"My apologies," Robert responded politely to Amanda. "Did you want to get to bed?" he turned to ask me when Amanda was hidden away inside.

"Mmm," I pondered. "I actually just really want to get out of these shoes. They are killing my feet!" I leaned over to undo the straps of my shoes, making sure to not flash Rob in my skirt. Once I unbuckled the straps, I stepped out of them, dropping five inches lower to the ground. Now, instead being at almost eye level with Rob, I only measured up to his chest.

"Wow!" he laughed. "You know, you are making this very difficult for me." His warm smile was incredibly inviting. He lowered his lips to meet mine and kissed them softly. He slowly pulled away, but I could still feel his lips lingering on mine.

I slowly opened my eyes. "Now that wasn't too hard was it?"

He grabbed the back of his neck. "I think I got a creak in my neck," he said almost convincing.

I went up on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck. "You should really work on your acting skills," I whispered in his ear before I kissed him firmly on the lips.

"Well if that's what I get for having bad acting skills, maybe I don't want to work on them," he smiled brightly.

I started dancing on the balls of my feet.

Robert cocked his head to the side. "What are you doing?" he asked bewildered.

"My feet are freezing on the concrete!" I answered.

"Come here!" he said holding open his arms. I walked into them and felt them hold me close to his chest. Then he lifted me up off the ground and rested my feet gracefully atop his shoes. "Let's get you inside."

Rob twisted the doorknob and walked me into my living room. "Thanks," I said as I stepped off his feet.

"You're welcome," he replied. "Now go get some sleep. It's getting late."

I nodded. "Thanks for saving me tonight. Multiple times," I giggled. "It was a lot of fun."

"I had a lot of fun, too, Emma," he said as he began to walk towards the door. He tapped the door and pointed at me, smirking. "And now I know where you live."

I smiled like a little girl and he winked back at me before he closed the door and disappeared. Before I could even register all that happened tonight, Amanda yelled, "Em! Get in here right now!"

I smiled to myself. Of course, Amanda was eavesdropping on us the whole time. I entered our shared bedroom and plopped onto my bed.

"Tell me everything!" she pleaded as she sat up in her bed Indian-style, hugging her giant pink pillow.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

Robert's Point-of-View

"I'm not good at this kind of stuff," I told one of my mates as we sat on my couch in my otherwise empty apartment. I am not the kind of guy who stays put for a long period of time. I guess you could classify me as a paranoid guy scared of commitment.

My friend, Ben, laughed over his cup of coffee. "Like I haven't heard that before, Robert. You're a dirty little whore. Trust me when I tell you this – you are not ready to settle down with one girl. Not when you can easily get any girl who lays eyes on you – even if you are a just-rolled-outta-bed, my-hair's-messy-and-my-breath-stanks-but-you'd-still-kiss-me kind of hot. For my sake, please don't waste that talent."

I rolled my eyes at him. I should have expected that kind of response, but I was hoping for a different type of encouragement. "There was just something about her. We clicked." I sighed and got up to put my mug in the sink.

"Don't tell me that rubbish. You are just in some serious phase of denial. You don't even know the girl. I emphasize the word "girl." She couldn't have been older than eighteen."

"You're right," I agreed. "I don't know her. But I want to."

"Do what you want, Rob. But if you want my opinion, I'd advice you to enjoy your freedom," Ben replied.

I chuckled. "You're such a dick sometimes, Ben."

"Touche, but Rob, it takes one to know one."

"What a bastard. Now help me figure out what to do." I took my seat on the couch again, leaning over my knees. "I can't call her, so how do I see her again?"

"You didn't even get her number? What the hell is wrong with you?" Ben hit me over the head.

"She broke her phone!" I defended myself.

"Well do you at least know where she lives?" he asked annoyed.

I nodded. "But it's not like I am just going to show up to her doorstep one day. What if she doesn't even like me?" I asked suddenly insecure. "I can't tell with these American girls."

"Well, it's up to you whether you want to take a chance on her or not," he reasoned. "I've never seen you so interested in an available girl before." He laughed at his stress on the word "available." "But, I'm pretty sure every girl loves flowers. Why don't you send some to her apartment with a note saying you want to see her again blah blah blah and leave your number? Ta da!"

I hesitated. "Eh, flowers seem so drab and predictable. But I like the idea of leaving something at her apartment. At least then I won't get rejected in person."

"For God sake, man, you aren't going to get rejected. Just walk up to her door and smooth talk her into going out to dinner with you. Not that difficult."


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Emma's Point-of-View

I hated Mondays. I started at eight in the morning and ended at three, with an awkward two-hour break between my Communications and Greek Mythology classes. After my last class, I immediately drove over to AT&T to pick up a new phone. I couldn't bare being without a phone for another day. My reliance on technology was pathetic.

I was in dire need of a nap when I got back to my apartment. Amanda would be home, but she would most likely be doing her Chemistry homework in the kitchen. My heart goes out to those of you who are Pre-Med students – I have never seen anyone do more homework than my roommate.

As soon as I walked in the door, Amanda ran towards me. "You'll never guess who came by!"

"Um, the mail man?" I asked sarcastically.

"Robert. Pattinson!" she screamed to the point where it hurt my ears.

"Are you being serious?" I asked her before I got too excited.

Amanda scrambled over to the kitchen table and handed me a small note and a paper bag. "He left you this," she said with a huge smile on her face.

I can't believe he came to see me. Funny how just one small thing, like Rob coming to my apartment, could change my mood for the rest of the day. I was starting to like Mondays a whole lot more.

The note was written on a piece of computer paper. It read, "Emma, I was hoping to catch you at home. I just wanted to drop this off for you. It should come in handy. Call me when you get a chance. My number is 555-842-7076. – Rob."

"What's in the bag?!" Amanda screeched impatiently. Like she hadn't already peeked…

I opened up the bag and pulled out a black leather case for a Blackberry. Very inventive gift. Quite perfect, actually.

"Should I call him?" I asked Amanda for her advice. "Or wait?"

"He told me to tell you to call him right away," she smiled. I stalled, suddenly nervous to talk to him. "So get out your phone and call him!" she urged me.

I shot Amanda a worried and helpless face.

" Oh come on, Em! It's not that hard. Here, give me your phone." I obeyed and handed her my brand new Blackberry. She took the note and dialed Rob's number and pressed send before she handed it back to me.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

"He's not going to answer," I whispered to Amanda.

"What?" I heard Rob's laughter on the other end of the phone.

"Oh, hi! I didn't know you picked up," I explained panicky. "It's Emma."

"I know," he told me. "How are you?"

"I'm great. Just got home from school. Thank you so much for the phone case. That was so thoughtful of you," I gushed.

"I'm glad you like it," he responded. "I was going to go for the flowers route, but I figured a phone protector was a little more practical for you," he chuckled.

"Very realistic. I love it."

"I want to take you out tonight," he belted out.

"All right," I answered, trying to sound very nonchalant about it. But inside, I was jumping up and down cheering.

"Great. I will pick you up at eight then," he said in a way I could tell he was smiling.

"See you then." And I hung up.

"Guess who has a date tonight!" I screamed excitedly.

"Ahhhhh!!!" Amanda cheered. She pulled my arm towards our room and opened up my closet. "Let's find you something to wear," she told me as she began pulling clothes off the hangers and throwing them onto my unmade bed.

"Amanda, I know you have tons of homework to do. I can pick out something to wear myself," I exclaimed, somewhat sincerely, but partially frightened at what she would pick out for me. She was a lot more risqué in her clothing styles than I am.

"Are you kidding? This is so much more important than stupid Chemistry!"


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

"So where are we going?" I asked Rob when we got into his car.

"It's kind of a surprise," he told me as he temporarily took his eyes off the road to glance at me, grinning. "Hopefully you like it."

"You better hope I _**love**_ it," I told him completely sarcastically. "Or you can kiss goodbye date number two."

His worried expression alerted me that he didn't catch the sarcasm. "I'm kidding!" I comforted him. "Whatever it is, I'm sure I will love it."

We pulled into an ally off of Sunset, escalating my curiosity of where exactly he was taking me. He wasn't going to stab me and then throw me in a dumpster was he? I know I am only basing my judgments off of one night knowing him, but I have my doubts that he would ever hurt me.

Robert veered into what looked like could be a parking spot. Before opening his car door, he looked over at me. "I want us to get to know each other better. So tonight, I'm going to show you a little bit about me."

I nodded agreeably. "Ok."

What could he possibly be trying to tell me? That he was a bum? He didn't look like a homeless person to me. Well, scratch that. I guess some people could find him to be a little grungy, but I thought he looked damn good in his black beanie, hooded black sweatshirt, and leather jacket.

"Shall we?" he asked me excitedly as he opened up the passenger door for me.

I grabbed onto his welcoming arm and walked beside him down the ally way towards the main street. Relief clouded over me when I saw a glimpse of civilization. He wasn't going to kill me.

"So," he started the conversation. "You go to school at UCLA. What are you studying?"

"I'm double majoring in Communications and Business," I told him warily. I felt like such a nerd.

"Way to make me look like a dumb bastard," he laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh, come on!" I reassured him. "At least you have a career doing something you love! I have absolutely no clue what I want to do with my life."

"I suppose," he answered unconvincingly. But I have about as much clue as you do when it comes to knowing what I want."

"Well good thing we are still young," I laughed.

"Right," he said suspiciously. "How _**young **_are you?"

"Twenty," I responded confidently. "You're twenty-two right? No criminal record. Yet?"

He laughed out loud and nodded his head. "You remembered."

Rob placed his hand on the small of my back and led me around the corner. I could see the blue sign flashing, "House of Blues," up ahead.

"Are we going in here?" I asked eagerly.

"Yeah."

"Who's playing?" I continued to ask questions as we walked through the front entrance.

"Rob, great to see you man," an older gray haired man greeted Rob with a pat on the back. "Stage is set up for you to go on in ten."

Robert turned to face me. "Me."

I was in awe. Before I could even speak, the same older man reappeared, grabbing Rob's full attention. "Mark wants to see you backstage to get you situated and whatnot. Let's go."

I noticed Robert stuff his hands in his front pockets. "Ok, Jeff. I'll be back there in a minute. Just give me a sec." He motioned his head towards me.

"Right, right," Mark said as he walked off.

"I hope this is all right for you," he exclaimed. "I'll make it short and then we can…"

I cut him off. "This is more than all right. This is incredible," I told him beaming. "Don't you dare rip me off by cutting your performance short. I want to see the whole thing."

He pulled me tight into a hug. "Good luck," I said into his chest.

"Thanks," he replied as he released me. "Feel free to sit wherever. Preferably in the front center, right where I can see you." He winked and strutted off to the back of the stage.

I watched him until he disappeared around a corner. At that same moment, a man's voice was heard in a microphone coming from the stage. I followed it, putting together his words into a sentence. "Tonight, I am proud to present Robert Pattinson, ladies and gentlemen.

I was led into a somewhat small room filled with numerous tall round tables and chairs, however, only a little less than half were occupied. I spotted an empty table dead center and walked swiftly towards it. To my surprise, a tall and lean brunette was also hastily marching to it as well. What was her hurry? Fortunately, my shorter legs moved twice as fast and I reached the table before her. However, instead of taking another one, she pulled up a chair right next to me at _**my**_ table.

"Hope you don't mind if I sit here," she explained boorishly. "I actually sit here every night."

I tried my best to ignore her. I simply nodded and watched the stage intently as Rob came out. Everyone cheered and clapped, including me.

"I'm Victoria." She lent out her hand to shake. Her nails were neatly done with a French manicure.

"Emma," I smiled. "Nice to meet you." I turned my focus, once again, back to Rob.

"So, is this your first time here?" she asked. "I haven't seen you here before."

She was starting to get really annoying. Ok, fine. If it weren't Rob up on stage right now, I would probably think she was really nice and welcoming. But that's obviously not the case.

"First time," I agreed. This time I didn't look at her when I answered. My eyes were glued on Rob at the piano. His long fingers started to play over the keys, creating a perfect melody.

"Do you know Robert?" she interrupted his beautiful voice.

I nodded. I could feel her intense glare on me. What was her problem?

"Are you two dating?" she asked curiously.

"I think so," I told her, actually unsure if we were technically dating.

"Interesting," she stated somewhat amused and then quickly walked away.

Finally. Now I could focus my full attention on Rob. I never imagined him being such a great musician and singer. He was amazing. His voice was captivating…breathtaking.

When his performance was over, Robert met me at the table I was sitting at. I jumped off the seat and wrapped my arms around him. "That was incredible!" I gushed. "I'm speechless, really. I had no idea you were so musically talented."

He laughed. "Well, there's a lot you don't know about me." I gazed up into his eyes, only to be distracted by Victoria's wicked glare in the distance behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Rob grabbed my hand, intertwining his fingers in between mine. "Are you ready to leave?" he asked me.

I hesitated a little because I didn't want the night to end. "I don't want to go home yet."

He chuckled. "I'm not done with you yet. I just want to get out of here," he told me as he pulled me through the door and onto the sidewalk where I was blinded by a quick flash. And then another one. And another.

_**Cameras. **_

Rob put his hand over his face and continued to saunter down the street. "Sorry," he apologized, quickly looking back at me. He tugged me so I caught up to him.

"ROB! ROB!" I heard girls shrieking and thumping footsteps running behind us.

"Are you going to answer them?" I asked him. I didn't know whom I felt more sorry for. The two girls frantically trying to obtain Robert's attention or Robert who was being chased by screaming girls and photographers.

Rob groaned as he spun around to greet the girls behind him. "Hello," he smiled. "What's your name?" he asked the blonde girl and then signed her magazine. I timidly stood a few feet back, not wanting to interfere with the girls' encounter with Robert Pattinson. After a couple pictures, Rob waved goodbye to the girls and came back to me. "I really am sorry," he said immediately, rubbing his eyes sheepishly. "This is quite humiliating."

"I think it's kind of cool," I told him. "I mean, obviously you are something special if you attract squealing teenage girls and cameras," I laughed. "And I am the one that gets to hang out with you. I feel pretty lucky."

His golden eyes looked at me amazed. "How do you tolerate this? If I were you I'd be running in the opposite direction of me. I should be the one feeling lucky that you are still standing here with me."

"I'm not running anywhere," I explained sincerely. "I don't care that you get mobbed by beautiful girls and that the paparazzi take pictures of you wherever you go, as long as I get to be with you." I can't believe I just admitted that. Never in a million years would I have been able to tell a guy how I felt before I met Rob. Something about him made me feel so comfortable, so…me.

He didn't show any emotion – not even a smile. He just squeezed my hand and opened up the passenger's door to his car. As I was getting in, he brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers and then gave me a light kiss on the lips. That reaction was way better than any words or facial expression.

Before either of us opened our eyes, I saw a hint of a blinking light. Robert leaned away from me quickly, totally ruining the moment. Maybe I take back what I said earlier. Right now the paparazzi and me are not on good terms.

"Can you cut me a break?" Rob yelled back at the photographers, who were somewhat invisible in the dark night. The only thing that gave them away was the flash coming from their cameras.

I slid into the seat of his car and waited until Rob moved to close the door.

The mood was completely switched around in a matter of a few seconds. Now, it was stressful and tense. Rob climbed into the car and instantly put the keys into the ignition before speeding out of the ally.

I didn't want him to be upset, especially because he thought he was the one messing things up. There had to be something I could do to help.

I cleared my throat before talking. "Turn right here." I pointed to the street ahead of us.

Rob raised his eyebrows, unsure about my request, but followed it anyways.

"And pull in right here," I told him. "There should be parking around the corner."

He parked the car in between a black Escalade and a blue Mini Cooper. "Should I be scared at where you are taking me?" he asked jokingly.

This time I grabbed his hand and showed him inside the old rundown building. "You showed me that you can sing and play the piano tonight, now it's my turn to show you what I can do." I opened the white wooden door and led Robert into the club. It was insanely loud and dark; the only lights came from the strobe lights, which made it hard to see Robert's face. But I could feel him next to me, which was all I needed for now.

"Are you stripper, Emma? Is that what you are good at? Poll dancing?" he yelled into me ear.

I laughed, although I'm not sure if he could hear me. I turned towards him so we were standing face-to-face. "No!" I screamed. "But I am a good dancer. Come on!" I grasped his hand and pulled him out to the crowded dance floor. I pushed my way through until I found an opening.

"Em, I can't dance," he yelled to me and I could hear the anxiety in his voice.

"Yes you can," I encouraged him as I placed his hands around me and started to dance to "Womanizer" by Britney Spears. After a few songs, he was starting to get the hang of it. I smiled at his improvement.

"I need a drink," he shouted in my ear. He clutched my hand and led me through the dancing crowd to the bar, where we took seats on the stools. "I'll have a rum and coke," he told the bartender.

"And for you?" the bartender asked me.

"Just a water, please," I asked, still catching my breath from dancing.

Rob smiled over at me after taking a sip from his drink. "You're all sweaty."

"You are too!" I defended myself. "It was so hot out there." I waved my hand toward my face, trying to create a breeze to cool me off.

"Fun though," he admitted.

"I think I had more fun watching you sing tonight," I grinned. "Except I could have done without this one really annoying girl that was sitting by me."

Robert's face turned blank and he anxiously took a sip of his drink.

"She kept asking me questions about you and me and you. It was weird," I explained.

He nodded as he swallowed his drink.

"Did you happen to see her?" I asked, curious if he knew her. "Tall, dark brown hair, really pretty. I think her name was Victoria."

Robert choked a little at the sound of her name.

I stared at him intently, waiting for him to answer.

"Victoria?" he repeated uneasily. "No, I don't know anyone by that name."


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Robert's Point-of-View

"Victoria," I spoke quietly on the phone, not wanting anyone to hear, even though I was alone in my empty apartment.

"Yes, Robert?" she asked casually.

God, she was irritating. "I thought I told you to stay away from me. I don't want anything to do with you."

"Rob, dear, I'm sorry but I just can't do that," she answered straightforwardly.

I tried to keep my composure. "And why is that, V? I _**need**_ you to stay away from me."

She laughed softly. "It's because of that girl, isn't it? Emma, was it?"

I rubbed my temples with my fingers; trying to soothe this killer headache she was giving me. "Yes," I admitted. "It's because of Emma."

There was a long pause in the conversation. "Well, that's not a good enough reason for me to leave you alone. I still love you, Robert and I know you love me too."

That was it. I couldn't contain my anger anymore. "Victoria!" I shouted. "Stay the hell away from me. I do not love you. I never did. I moved on and so should you."

"Hmm. I will think about it, Rob, but don't count your blessings," she said in the same infuriatingly mischievous voice and hung up.

I slammed my phone on the counter, not caring if it burst into a million pieces. Victoria was my ex-girlfriend, if you could even call her that. The only thing that attracted me to her was her outer beauty – she was a model. Clingy, to say the least. I'm not going to lie, I had a good time with her, but I got bored after a while. There was no substance to our relationship; it was purely physical.

The best thing might be for me to tell Emma about Victoria before she does something to traumatize any chance I have of staying with Emma. I couldn't let that happen.

. . .

"Hey!" Emma greeted me with a warmhearted hug at her door.

"Good afternoon," I replied smiling. "How are you?"

"Tired. Long night. Early morning. You know how that goes," she giggled. "Come in!" She widened the opening of her door and let me inside. "Are you hungry?"

I rubbed my jaw, thinking. "Hm, what do you have?"

Emma held out her hand, gesturing me to come meet her in the kitchen. "Come look." She opened up the fridge and cupboard. "We have stuff to make sandwiches, pasta, pizza…"

"Pizza!" I announced.

She grinned and pulled out pizza dough. "What kind? Cheese, pepperoni, BBQ chicken?"

"You pick," I told her."

"I'm kind of in an adventurous mood. Let's do BBQ chicken," she answered confidently."

I smirked. "I like adventures." I gently pushed her blonde hair behind her ears and placed a firm kiss on her lips. My mind went blank as I listened to the soft sound of our lips meeting again and again. At some point, between kisses, I lifted Emma up onto the island, kissing her more.

"Pizza," she whispered on my lips.

I grudgingly pulled away and set her back down on her feet. "Right."

She grabbed my jean's belt loops and drew me closer to her. "We can have more fun _**after **_we eat. I'm starving."

"Promise?"

She lifted up her pinky finger. "Pinky promise," she said childishly.

I never liked cooking, but it was very enjoyable with Emma. She was a very good cook; I was impressed.

"This is delicious," I told her as we sat down on the stools of her island. I suddenly remembered what I came here for, to tell her about Victoria. I was overcome with fear and she saw it in my face.

"Don't lie," she laughed. "If you don't like it, you can tell me. It won't hurt my feelings. Besides, you helped make it, so it is partly your fault."

I shrugged. "No, no. Really this pizza tastes amazing." This was it. Time to tell her. "I have to tell you something." I hope I wasn't going to regret this.

"What is it?" she asked concerned.

"I lied the other night when I said I didn't know someone named Victoria."


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Robert's Point-of-View

I somewhat clenched my eyes shut, anxiously waiting for Emma's response to my confession. I expected the worst – she would get up from her seat, yank my hood, and throw me out the door.

But instead, I received no answer. Which, in my opinion, is almost worse. She sat very still, picking at parts of her pizza that was still left on her plate.

"Em," I whispered. "Did you hear me?"

She slowly looked up from her food and made eye contact with me. "Yes, I heard you," she said softly. "I'm just thinking."

Damn it. It's never good when a girl is "thinking." That's what they always say before they kick me to the curb. I was used to it, of course, but I wouldn't let that happen this time. Not with Emma.

Instead of being infuriated by the lack of verbal conversation, I remained calm and collected, searching for the right words to say. Searching for the truth in my feelings for Emma. She had to know how much I cared for her.

I gradually reached my hand over hers, holding it tightly in mine. "What are you thinking?" I asked very sincerely.

Emma's voice was shaky, but she was able to answer my question. "She's in love with you." Her focus quickly snapped back to her plate, not wanting to see my reply to her consideration.

"But I'm not in love with her, Em," I said hopefully reassuringly. "Actually, I have never been in love," I admitted. "Emma, you are the only girl that I have met that I have actually fallen for."

She sniffed back tears and looked at me with wide eyes. "What?"

I cleared my throat and then nervously ran my hand through my messy hair. "I think," I stopped myself. "No. I know, that I am falling in love with you."


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Emma's Point-of-View

Overwhelmed was an understatement. "You…My…Uh…I…am thirsty," I blurted out and escaped towards the refrigerator to get a water bottle.

With shaky hands, I carefully twisted the cap off and took a sip of the refreshing cold water. I placed my palm firmly onto the kitchen counter, facing away from Robert. I needed a minute, preferably more than just a minute, to think. No guy has ever told me that before. I was caught completely off guard. Why would he be falling in love with _**me**_? I mean, come on, it's _**me**_. The girl that sits by herself in class, the girl that loves staying home and reading a good book, the girl that gets ditched by her best friends on Valentine's Day…the girl that Robert Pattinson is in love with. Potentially.

Two warm arms wrapped gently around my waste, startling me. I jumped and turned around, being submerged in Rob's chest. Mmm, he smelled good.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in my ear.

I shook my head against his upper body. Suddenly, I forgot how to speak. I was hopeless, head over heels in the moment. His body wrapped affectionately around mine. I never wanted to move from this spot.

He grazed his hands down my back, sending chills down my spine. This was something entirely new to me. I had never felt this way around anyone in my life.

I looked up at him smiling down at me and couldn't help but mirror his expression. His soft fingers glossed over my blushed cheek and I could feel his warm breath on my skin. Rob leaned even closer and slowly kissed my quivering lips. It felt like I was immersed into a dream. The kind of dream you don't want to wake up from.

But it wasn't a dream. This was entirely real.

I was breathless by the time Robert removed his lips from mine. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said slowly. "But I know how I feel and I needed you to know. Honestly, I'm scared shitless myself. I've never experienced anything like this before. It's completely new to me. But you had to know…"

He was talking way too much. "Shh," I calmed him, stopping his speech with my fingers to his lips. "It's ok. I feel _**exactly**_ the same way."


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

Robert's Point-of-View

I was finally happy. That girl nearly knocked me out with the granite bathroom door at Il Sole almost a month ago made me the happiest man in the world.

Now I just had to break the news to my friends, who I had secluded myself from ever since I met Emma. I didn't want to overwhelm her with their...um, how do I put it?... Wild ways.

Kristen and Nikki will surely get a kick out of this. This is certainly the last thing they would expect from me – falling in love with a younger, more or less innocent, girl.

Ashley, on the other hand, will be overjoyed. She has always wanted me to settle down into a serious relationship. She was never too big on the crazy party scene, like the other two girls.

Well, at least I was preparing myself for their reactions.

"Hey," I heard her sweet voice utter as she sat down with me at the little breakfast place a block from my house. I had always admired the ivy covered walls and the patio seating when I walked past it almost every day on my way to get coffee.

"Hey, babe," I replied bashfully. I felt idiotic for calling her "babe," but it was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

She smiled brightly, exposing her adorable dimples on her rosy cheeks.

"How are you this morning?" I asked her casually, handing her a menu.

"Great!" she beamed, peering at her breakfast choices. "How are you? You look nice." She gestured to my outfit. I was wearing a black and white flannel with a new pair of jeans.

"Thanks," I laughed embarrassed. "I wanted to look nice for you. I always look so raggedy and weird and I don't know…" I trailed off, shaking my head at how awkward I just made this conversation.

I could tell Emma was trying hard to hide her laughter, but she couldn't hold it for long. "You are so self-conscious sometimes! I don't care how you dress or how you fix, or not fix, your hair," she exclaimed more seriously. "Besides, I think your unkempt look is kinda sexy." She looked back down at her menu, embarrassed.

I chuckled at her statement and rubbed my hands through my tousled hair. "Do you know what you want?" I asked her, changing the subject.

She nodded. "I think I'll have the chocolate chip pancakes!"

"You and your chocolate," I laughed. "Is that all you eat?"

"No!" she protested. "I eat other stuff…"

"Uh huh."

* * *

After breakfast, Emma and I started walking slowly back to my apartment. It was a beautiful day in L.A., the sky was clear and blue and the sun shone brightly, almost blindingly.

"What are you doing for the rest of the day?" Emma asked me, ending the silence.

I cleared my throat and then spoke calmly. "Well, I was planning on meeting up with some of my friends later tonight."

"Oh, that's cool," she replied quickly, almost disappointed.

"Well, I wanted you to come with me…to meet my friends," I said carefully.

She smiled sweetly. "I'd love to."

"Good," I exhaled, relieved that she agreed to come with me. Now, there was just one more thing I had to take care of. "I was thinking," I began. "If it's all right with you, can I introduce you as my girlfriend?"

I hesitated to look at her for her reaction, but was pleased to see that Emma's smile broadcasted her excitement and satisfaction. "Well," she started. "That depends."

I raised my eyebrows at her, worried what she was thinking about.

"Am I your girlfriend?" she asked.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "I want you to be."

"Ok, then, you can introduce me to your friends as your girlfriend."

I proudly took her hand in mine and continued to saunter down the sidewalk to my apartment…with my girlfriend.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Robert's Point-of-View

Kristen, Nikki, Ashley, (and occasionally Kellan and Jackson), and I met at a local bar in L.A. every Thursday night. I was taking my chances tonight that things hadn't changed since I stopped showing up and they would be there when I walked in tonight with Emma in tow.

I was nervous taking Emma to a bar. For one, she was underage. Secondly, I wasn't entirely sure how the girls would handle it. They enjoyed being the center of all my attention. But, I knew if I told them I was bringing a girl – my girlfriend, more specifically – they wouldn't show.

But, most of all, I didn't want Emma to get the wrong impression of me. Yes, I did hang out in bars and get wasted off my ass almost every night, but that was _**before**_.

I changed.

I discovered there are better things in this life than getting a messy hangover and an unsightly beer belly. There was _**her.**_ My angel.

* * *

"Are you sure I look ok?" she asked, examining herself in her bedroom mirror. I stood behind her, hands in my front pockets, admiring her reflection in the mirror. She was wearing a satin strapless red dress that faded into black at her knees.

"You look beautiful," I told her, taken back by her beauty. "Absolutely stunning."

She blushed, but wasn't able to hide the huge grin on her face. She twirled around and wrapped her goose bumped arms tightly around me. "I'm nervous," she whispered, her head buried in my chest.

I lifted her chin up so I could look directly into her eyes. "Listen to me, you have nothing to worry about. My friends will love you," I assured her, although I knew that that was probably a lie.

Emma sighed and grabbed my hand, leading me to the living room. "All right, let's go then."

I tugged her back, not letting her walk any further. "Jacket."

"I don't need one," she answered. "I'll be fine."

"Em, it's freezing outside and it's going to be even colder when we leave the bar," I told her matter-of-factly.

That made her laugh. "That's what you're for."

"Ha! If you think I'm giving you my jacket you're crazy. What makes you think I want to suffer in the cold if I am smart enough to wear a jacket," I defended myself.

She felt her hands up my arm to my neck. "But the black leather would look so good with this dress," she said softly in my ear.

I chuckled. "That doesn't work all the time," I told her, walking into her closet. I took a black coat off the hanger and handed it to her. "This will look _**perfect**_ with that dress."

Emma rolled her eyes and snatched the coat out of my hands. "Bye Amanda!" she yelled as she strutted out the front door.

Amanda raised her eyebrows at me, trying to hold back her laughter. "Have fun," she said sarcastically.

"Oh, I'll try," I laughed and closed the door behind me as I met Emma outside.

We arrived at the bar at about half past ten, knowing that everyone would already be there – most likely intoxicated by now. I wasn't quite sure if that would make things better or worse.

"I just want to warn you," I told Emma as we got out of the car. "My friends, they are a little on the crazy side. Senseless, really. So if any of them say anything that bothers you, just ignore it. And we can leave anytime you want, if you feel uncomfortable or anything. Just tell me."

"Now you're really making me nervous," she said, huddling in her jacket.

I wrapped my arm around her waist, drawing her to my side. "I told you you'd need a jacket," I laughed. "Just let me know when you want to go."

That was the last thing I told her before I propped open the entrance door. She waited inside the door for me to lead her to the bar. I secured her hand tightly in mine and escorted her to the girls. They were in the same spot we always sat every Thursday night. Nothing had changed.

No, not nothing. Something was immensely different. I was different. My life was different.

"ROBERT? WHERE THE F*CK HAVE YOU BEEN?" I heard Kristen's welcoming greeting.

"Dude, what happened to you?" Nikki followed.

I just smiled until Emma caught up to me. I pulled her to my side, proudly showcasing her to my friends.

"Hey girls," I replied, greeting each one of them with a warm embracing hug.

"Robert, who is this?" Ashley asked sincerely. She smiled at Emma and held out her hand to shake. "I'm Ashley."

I placed my hand gently on Emma's back, inching her forward. "This is my girlfriend, Emma," I told them.

"Girlfriend?" Kristen asked bewildered. "That's different," she snickered. "I'm Kristen," she introduced herself to Emma, who looked like she was in shock.

"Nikki," Nikki said grimly to Emma and then shot me a spiteful glance.

"It's nice to meet you, Emma. How did you two meet?" Ashley asked curiously. She took a seat on the empty barstool, gesturing for Emma and I to sit down next to her.

After we took our seats, I began to explain how we met and Emma talked about school and what she planned on doing after college. Meanwhile, Kristen and Nikki kept to themselves, taking shots and flirting with the bartender.

"I'll be right back," Ashley excused herself. "I have to use the restroom."

Once Ashley disappeared, Emma turned to me. "She's really nice, I like her," she told me. "But I don't think they like me," she nodded her head towards the other two girls.

"Don't worry about them," I ensured her. "They are just drunk. They have no idea what's going on." I chuckled, shaking my head disgracefully as I watched them shamelessly chug a beer.

"They don't even look old enough to drink," Emma interpreted.

"It's because they're not," I laughed. "Fake ID's."

Emma nodded, understandingly. "Gotcha." She took a sip of her virgin strawberry daiquiri. It didn't appear that she was having very much fun – she was staring off into space.

"Hey!" I nudged her. "I think I need some more practice dancing. What do you think?"

A smile spread across her face. "Really?"

I ran my fingers through my hair, pushing it back out of my face. "Couldn't hurt," I shrugged.

Emma excitedly jumped off her stool and darted to the dance floor, not leaving me enough time to catch up with her after I paid the bill.

"Rob!" Kristen whined obnoxiously. "Come do body shots with Nikki and me!"

I shook my head, laughing to myself, and continued to walk towards the dance floor. It was packed pretty tightly, but I could see Emma's blonde curls and sparkling smile amongst everyone else perfectly clear.

"ROB! Come on! We're waiting," Nikki yelled.

I figured I better stop ignoring them before they caused a scene. I walked over to the two extremely intoxicated girls and tried explaining to them that I wasn't going to take body shots with them.

"Don't forget about your friends," Kristen scoffed. "I shouldn't have to beg you to lick my stomach." She raised her shirt, exposing her black lacey bra, and then lifted it completely off her head, throwing it on the chair. She lay down on top of the table and the bartender pulled out some salt and a lime.

"Who wants a shot?" he called from behind the table, holding a shot of tequila.

"He does!" Nikki pointed to me and ushered me up to Kristen.

"I can't do this," I pleaded, trying to fight back part of me that really did want to do it.

"It's not that hard," Nikki rolled her eyes. "Here, let me show you." Nikki licked the salt off of Kristen's stomach, downed the shot of tequila, and then took the lime wedge out of Kristen's mouth. "Easy," she said smiling. "Now your turn."


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Emma's Point-of-View

_Ok_. That didn't work out so well…When I strutted out onto the dance floor, I expected Robert to at least follow me. Where the hell did he go? He better not have chickened out on dancing.

I propped myself up onto my tip-toes and scanned the room, searching for any sign of Rob. That was useless. I hated being short.

A pair of cold hands unexpectedly jolted me on the back of my shoulders. Phew. _He _found _me_. The soft hands turned me around.

Disappointment overcame me. "Emma! What are you doing dancing alone? Where's Robert?" Ashley shouted over the loud music.

I shrugged, indicating that I had absolutely no idea where he was or what he was doing.

"He probably got held up at the bar," she assured me, speaking loudly into my ear. "Let's dance!" She grabbed my hand and started dancing to "Love Game," by Lady Gaga.

I decided that there was really no point to trying to find Rob amongst all of these people. Besides, he would come find me soon enough and he'd be proud that I was bonding with his friends. Well, one of them anyways.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about Kristen and Nikki. They are my age, but definitely seemed a little more immature. Maybe it's just because they are drunk, but I'd be so embarrassed if I was caught doing some of the things they were doing tonight. It makes me think if this is how they act every night.

I wonder if Rob ever did stuff like that. They _are_ his friends. Don't friends like to do the same kinds of things?

Throughout all this thinking and deliberation, I lost track of time. We must have been dancing for at least twenty minutes. My forehead was sprinkled with sweat and I was feeling pretty dehydrated.

Grabbing onto Ashley's shoulders, I pulled her in closer to me so she could hear me. "I'm going to go to the restroom. I'll meet you at the bar in a few minutes?"

She nodded and flawlessly skipped her way through the mounds of people toward the bar.

I nudged my way through, struggling to get to the restroom. When I finally made it, I was completely discouraged by the long line. I was way too tired to stand that long and wait.

I slowly walked out, prolonging the time I had before I had to push my way through the crowd once again. "There you are!" a voice shouted from behind me. His warm arms draped over my neck, almost strangling me. But I didn't care; I was too blissful to see him.

I hugged his arms against my chest. "Where have you been?" I asked curiously, rotating myself to hear his answer.

His eyes were bloodshot and looked right past me. I turned around to see what he was looking at, but there was nothing there. "I was at the bar," he chuckled, pressing his hands firmly on my shoulders for support.

"Are you drunk?" I asked, although I knew that was a stupid question.

Rob pursed his lips and then refocused his vision directly into my eyes. "I think I need another drink." He grabbed my hand and barreled through the dance floor towards the bar. When we go there, all three girls were gone.

Robert unsteadily climbed onto a stool and raised his eyebrows at the bartender who quickly slid him a beer. He took a quick sip and then looked at me, a smile shone across his face.

I gave him a puzzled look and he went back to his beer, this time gulping it down until the bottle was empty. "How much did you drink?" I asked concerned.

"Don't know," he replied casually, swaying back in forth in his seat.

"Maybe I should take you home," I suggested. "I should probably get home anyways. I have class tomorrow."

He looked angry. "No, we can't leave yet."

I didn't want to fight him. He was an adult – he could make his own decisions. Even if that meant he was going to be completely blacked out by the end of the night. No, no. I'd intervene before that happened. I'll let him have one more beer and then I was dragging him home.

He finished his second beer even faster than the first. He took a deep breath and then ungracefully stepped off the stool, somehow miraculously landing on his feet.

I followed behind him as he staggered out the exit of the club, relieved that we were finally leaving. When I got outside, Robert was leaning against the wall, his head tilted back and eyes closed. I gently touched his arm. "Come on, let's go home," I told him soothingly.

He shook his head. "I need to tell you something," he slurred.

"All right," I waited for him to spit it out. "What is it?"

"Fuck," he pounded his fist against the cement wall and then hit his head against it. That definitely had to hurt, but the pain didn't faze him at all. I'm guessing it would tomorrow, just not now.

I grabbed a hold of his arm and tried to pry him off of the wall. "Let's just go," I repeated, somewhat annoyed by the situation. "You can tell me whatever it is you need to tell me in the morning."

"No!" he yelled. "I can't. I have to tell you now."

"I'm waiting," I responded shortly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Hold on," he demanded. He pulled a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his jacket pocket and lit one up. He had never smoked in front of me before. He always was considerate about my distaste of cigarette smoke. Obviously, all sympathies do not exist during intoxication.

Robert stumbled as he ambled around the outside of the club. He never once looked up until he put out his cigarette.

He stared into my eyes, whose redness now matched his bloodshot eyes because of the irritation of the smoke. He closed his eyes and nervously gulped. "I-I…I love you."


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

Robert's Point-of-View

"Tempting, Kristen, but I can't," I declared. "Those days are over."

Kristen heatedly rose up from lying on the counter. "Damn it, Robert! Just because you have a girlfriend now, doesn't mean you can't have a little fun with your friends," she sneered.

"I understand that, Kristen. But there are more ways to have fun than taking body shots off each other. If Michael were here, I don't think he'd like watching me lick salt from your stomach, now would he?"

She shook her head, agreeing with me. Ha, she surrendered.

"Although, I'd_ love_ to see his reaction to me doing that," I chuckled sarcastically.

Kristen and Nikki joined in on the laughter. I was relieved that the girls were behaving a little better. They took their seats next to me at the bar and I ordered a round of drinks for us.

"So, Rob," Nikki elbowed me. "Tell us about Emma. She's very cute. You did good."

I blushed (I think) and couldn't help but smile at the sound of her name. "She's great. Undoubtedly the most amazing girl I have ever met," I gushed.

"Ahem," Kristen coughed.

I laughed. "Of course, you girls are amazing as well. You know that," I reassured them.

"Go on," Nikki prodded.

"Well, she's in her second year at UCLA…"

Nikki interrupted me. "I meant with how amazing we are," she joked.

Kristen groaned at Nikki's interruption. "What are you going to do when you leave for filming in a couple months," she asked me surprisingly sensitive.

I pushed my hair back, letting Kristen's words sink in. Of course I thought about having to leave, but I tried to ignore that realization as much as possible. "I honestly have no idea," I answered. "Ideally I'd want here to come with me, but she's in school until June. I guess we'll have see where we are in our relationship when the time comes," I shrugged sullenly.

"Another round of shots," Kristen shouted to the bartender.

Nikki peered at me, concerned at my now disheartened mood. "Make that two."

The alcohol hit me hard and fast, probably because I hadn't drank since I met Emma. I used to drink to make me happy, but I didn't need to do that now that I had her. Now I was finding myself drinking away my wretchedness. I was a disaster.

I barely even noticed that Ashley had joined us at the bar top until she spoke to me. "Robert, why aren't you with Emma? She was looking for you."

"Shit," I muttered under my breath.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"He's in depression mode," Kristen answered for me. "Basically, he doesn't know what to do about Emma when we're filming."

"Ah," Ashley nodded, understandingly. "It's only for a few months. Besides, you two aren't that serious yet, you should be fine."

I pinched the rim of my nose and closed my eyes tightly. She was completely wrong.

"Wait," Ashley gasped.

I looked up at three girls gazing intently in my direction. I stared back at them blankly.

"How serious are you about Emma?" Ashley continued. Kristen and Nikki, stunned, didn't flinch.

"I think I love her," I confessed. I ran my hands nervously through my hair. "Another round please," I called to the bartender.

"Rob, are you serious? You have to tell her," Kristen instructed.

"I don't know how," I professed. "I've never done this before. I don't even know what I'd say."

Nikki giggled. "I. Love. You."

"That's all you have to say," Ashley chimed in.

"I love you," I said calmly to myself, practicing. "I. Love. You."

"Perfect!" Kristen applauded. "Now go find her!"

I took one more shot before practically falling off my chair to the ground.

"Call us tomorrow and let us know how it goes," Ashley said as they walked away towards the exit. "Good luck!"

The three girls blew kisses in my direction as I walked towards the dance floor. "I love you," I repeated over and over again. "I love you."

And then I saw her. My body tightened and I forgot everything I was supposed to say. I was speechless, drunk, and in utterly love.


	16. Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Emma's Point-of-View

"You love me?" I asked frustrated, throwing my hands in the air. This was unbelievable.

He glimpsed up from the ground and nodded timidly.

"And you're telling me this _now_?" I questioned. "When you are completely wasted. That's just great." I pulled his keys out of his jean pockets and stormed off to the car. After I unlocked his Audi, I plopped down in the driver's seat and turned the keys in the ignition. The lights flashed a perfect spotlight on Robert, who stood very still against the wall in front of me, his face buried in his hands. After a few minutes he slowly walked over to the passenger's side of the car and dropped into the seat, resting his head against the window.

I put the car into reverse and backed out of the parking spot without saying a word to him. It had been a long and tiresome night; I just wanted to go home and sleep, but I knew I couldn't. After I dropped Robert off at his apartment, I had no way of getting home. It was too late to call Amanda to pick me up – she had an eight o'clock class in the morning – and that was in five hours. And I didn't feel comfortable taking Rob's car home in case he needed it in the morning – not like he'd be up before one in the afternoon.

When we arrived at Robert's apartment, I parked his car in his designated spot and hurriedly led my way to his door. It was freezing outside, just like he said it would be. Rob was a few strides back so I had to wait for him to catch up.

Robert walked straight into his bedroom and closed the door. Lovely. Maybe I should take his car home. Obviously he didn't want me staying here. But I couldn't get myself to leave. I slipped off my black-strapped heels and curled up on his couch, wrapping my jacket around me as a blanket.

I closed my eyes and tried my hardest to fall asleep but I was too angry, irritated, and upset. The sound of Robert's door opening disrupted my thoughts. I lay very still on the couch, pretending I was asleep. The last thing I wanted to do was talk to him when he probably won't even remember the conversation in the morning.

A warm velvety blanket was draped over me. I moaned softly and moved a little, trying to make my acting a little more realistic. I could feel him standing over me, watching me sleep.

For some reason, I busted out in laughter. I opened my eyes and there he was, standing directly over my head in a wife beater and a pair of blue boxers.

"Sorry," he whispered, trying not to laugh at me. "Were you asleep?"

"Yes," I lied. "I mean no. I was pretending," I confessed, giggling again.

Rob chuckled and sat down at the end of the couch, lifting my legs onto his lap. He grazed his fingertips along my smooth legs, back and forth. His gentle touch tickled me, making my flinch.

"Careful," he smiled, covering my legs back up with the blanket. I could tell the alcohol had worn off and he was back to his normal self. As much as I wanted to be mad at him, I couldn't. He made it so difficult.

I rested my eyes, although I didn't want to fall asleep quite yet. In just a few minutes, I was awoken when Rob cautiously got up from the couch. "Don't go," I whispered, half asleep.

"I'll be right back," he promised as he entered his room and quickly returned with a white v-neck t-shirt and a pair of green boxers. "I figured you would sleep better in something more comfortable." He handed me the clothes as I sat up on the couch.

"Thanks," I smiled. "I'll go change." I went to the bathroom to change, put my hair up, and pin back my bangs. As I walked out into the hallway, I heard Rob from his bedroom.

"I'm in here," he called. He was lying in his bed, his head propped up against the backboard. It was dark and I could barely make out his face. "Come here," he smiled and patted the spot next to him on his king sized bed.

I hesitated, but decided to join him. I climbed in under the covers and cuddled up against his chest, wrapping my arm around his body.

Rob stroked my arm as he started to speak. "I'm sorry I'm such a fool sometimes," he apologized.

I shook my head. "I overreacted."

He snickered. "Trust me, you didn't overreact. I was being an idiot. It's my fault. I shouldn't have said the things I said."

I turned to look at him, offended. That was not something I was expecting or wanting to hear.

"Ugh," he hit his head against his headboard. "That's not what I meant. I meant the timing was all wrong."

"I agree," I told him. "I think that's why I got so upset. I just hadn't pictured a guy telling me they loved me for the first time when they were drunk."

"You're going to laugh at me," he chuckled.

"Why?" I asked curiously, peering up at his flushed face.

"I was so nervous about telling you so I tried to calm my nerves by drinking. I figured it was the only way to make me brave enough."

I frowned. "I don't want you to be nervous around me."

"I know," he soothed me, running his hands through my hair. "I'm working on it. There's just something about you that I can't get over. You're extraordinary."

I smiled and closed my eyes. This time I was falling asleep happily.

"Sweet dreams, my angel," he whispered delicately.

CHAPTER 16

Emma's Point-of-View

"Shit!" I shouted when I noticed the time on the clock. It was 9:47 and my Communications class was at 10:00. There was no way I was going to make it on time. I was still in Robert's boxers for God's sake.

Startled by my shriek, Robert opened his eyes and propped himself up on his elbows. "What's the matter?" he asked drowsily, rubbing his eyes.

"I have to be in class in ten minutes," I answered in a shaky voice. I slid off the bed and ran into the bathroom that was connected to his bedroom. "Crap," I said, looking at myself in the mirror. I took a piece of toilet paper and rubbed the black makeup from under my eyes.

By the time I came out of the bathroom, Robert had his shoes on and his keys in hand. "Here, put this on," he told me, handing me a sweatshirt. "At least it will help a little with the boxers."

"Thanks," I displayed a worried smile and pulled the sweatshirt over my head. "Let's go."

I rushed out the door, but Robert was fumbling through his desk. "Come on! I'm going to be late!" I yelled to him, antsy. I had never missed, let alone been late, to any of my classes before.

"Coming!" he replied, walking quickly towards the door with a notepad and pen. "I thought you might need this."

I squeezed him tightly into a hug. "I so owe you! Thank you so much."

Rob ushered me towards the car quickly. Even though we were in a hurry he still took the time to open the car door for me. "Thanks," I smiled and climbed into the seat.

Robert sped the whole way to school. It should have taken fifteen minutes to get there, but we made it in seven. He pulled right up to the building where my class was being held.

"I can't thank you enough," I told him and kissed him passionately on the lips. "I'll see you later, yes?"

"Of course," he beamed. "Who else would I spend my day with?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Bye!"

I raced to class, not caring how foolish I looked sprinting through the hallway and up the stairs. It was 10:10. I was only ten minutes late. That's not too bad.

As I neared my classroom, I slowed my walk, not wanting to be out of breath by the time I got inside. A yellow sheet of paper was taped up on the window of the door. "Communications 89: Cancelled for 1/20."

You have got to be kidding me.

I immediately called Robert, hoping he didn't get too far so he could come pick me up.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he picked up the phone.

"I'm fine," I answered, starting to walk back outside. "But my class got cancelled."

I could hear Robert's laughter through the phone. "That's great! I'll come get you."

"Thank you," I sighed and hung up the phone.

Robert was waiting on the side of the street where he dropped me off when I came out. I got into the car once again and put on my seatbelt.

"Well that was lame," I said, still annoyed that I freaked out for nothing.

"You're telling me. We could still be cuddling in bed right now."

I giggled. "Well, technically we are still in our pajamas, so I don't see there being anything wrong with going back to bed. Do you?"

"Absolutely nothing," he grinned enthusiastically. "That sounds like the perfect plan."

"Good."

When we arrived back at his apartment, I ran into his room and hopped onto the bed. Robert just laughed at me, as he heedlessly took off his shoes. "Sweetie, why are you in such a hurry. We have all day."

"Why not start as soon as possible? I questioned back.

Rob sighed. "Point taken." He lifted his white shirt above his head and lied down on top of his bed, placing his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. I rolled over and hugged my arms around his bare chest. He pulled me in even closer and kissed my forehead. "Emma," he stated faintly.

I looked up at him with a questionable expression.

"You're beautiful," he smiled, tightening his lips.

I turned my head back down, embarrassed.

"I mean it," he followed up, brushing his fingers through my hair. "You're unbelievably smart, and funny, and so sweet. You're sexy and an amazing dancer. You fascinate me, Em."

"Stop it!" I laughed, stroking his chest with my fingers. His skin was so soft and smooth.

"You don't take compliments very well," he told me.

"Well they aren't true," I exclaimed. "You have a biased opinion."

"How so?" he chuckled, running his fingertips up and down my arm.

"Because you like me. So therefore you are obligated to say those things to me," I explained with certainty. I positioned myself to the side of him, propping my head up with my elbow.

Robert turned his body to face me. "Actually," he started. "I love you."

I could feel a smile stretch across my face. This was even better than how I pictured this moment being.

"And all of those things don't even begin to describe how incredible you are," he continued,

"I love you too," I responded, gleaming.

Robert climbed over me and kissed me hard. One of those soul-searing, heart-stopping kisses. I pushed my hands against his bare chest and slid them up his shoulders. It felt so right, so perfect, and I knew I wanted it more than anything in the world. Our bodies were pressed close. Our mouths closer. I couldn't have placed the kiss into a category if I'd have to. It was too incredible for words.


	17. Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

Robert's Point-of-View

"Please don't leave!" I pleaded as I lay on Emma's bed, flat on my stomach, watching her pack her things. "What am I supposed to do while your gone?"

"I'm only gone for five days, babe. What did you do before you met me? Just do that," she responded calmly. I was hoping for at least some sign of sorrow in her voice.

My eyes widened as I remembered how I spent my time before I met her – if I wasn't filming or promoting the movie, I was sleeping or drinking. I wanted to stay as far away from the latter as I could. I rearranged myself so I was sitting with my legs hanging over the edge of her bed.

Emma recognized my grief. "Aw, babe!" she cried, taking a seat in my lap. She messed with my hair and enclosed me in a tight hug. "I'm going to miss you so much! But I promise I'll be back before you know it!" She quickly kissed my lips before returning to her closet, dumping more clothes into her suitcase.

"Are you sure you aren't leaving me for a month?" I chuckled. "What do you need all these clothes for?"

Emma rolled her eyes at me. "Amanda and I don't know exactly what we're doing yet, so I need to be prepared."

"Prepared with thirty different outfits?" I asked, completely baffled. Women were so strange.

She shook her head. "Nevermind, Rob."

I sighed heavily and fell back onto my back.

"Now what's the matter?" she complained, as she zipped up her suitcase.

"Nothing," I mumbled. "I just don't want you to leave I guess. Who's going to keep an eye on you? Spring break in Palm Springs gets pretty wild doesn't it? I don't want you to get hurt or anything."

Emma laughed. "Ok, first of all, you are not my dad," she said in a sarcastic tone. "Secondly, Palm Springs is not wild at all. It's just going to be a relaxing girl trip. We're going to lie out by the pool, get tan, go to the spa, and maybe see a movie. I'm going to be fine."

"All right, all right," I agreed. "I'm sorry I'm being such a grouch, I'm just really going to miss you."

"Come here," she said sweetly, holding open her arms.

I frowned, teasingly, and moved into her arms. I kissed her shoulder, up her neck, and finally our lips met.

* * *

"Bye!" I waved as Emma and Amanda drove off down the street. The girls already looked like they were having a blast. Their windows were down and their obnoxious girly music was playing loudly.

"Well, they're gone," Ethan mentioned once the car disappeared out of the parking lot. "Time to get down to business."


	18. Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

Robert's Point-of-View

"Are you sure we should do this?" I asked Ethan, worried I had just made an enormous mistake.

He laughed and patted my knee. "Calm down, man. It's going to be fine. It's too late anyways, we're doing this."

I took a deep breath and pushed my hair back, staring out the car window. Los Angeles was already behind us, there was really no turning back now, especially not when Ethan was driving, determined to surprise Amanda in Palm Springs. Apparently it was there eight and a half month anniversary tonight. Who knows.

This seemed like a bad idea – showing up in the middle of their "girl's trip" unexpectedly. I didn't want to come off as overbearing or for Emma to think I didn't trust her. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from her. She was either going to be really ecstatic to see me or not happy at all. A part of me thought that maybe I shouldn't even tell her I was there at all, but then she'd be all alone when Ethan stole Amanda away from her.

"All right, we're here," Ethan's voice woke me from my nap. I slowly opened my eyes and admired the gorgeous Spanish-style hotel, surrounded by palm trees.

Ethan and I grabbed our bags and walked towards the front desk as the valet parked his car.

"Here are your keys. You will be in Room 2120. Once you get off the elevator make a left hand turn and your room will be on your right. Enjoy your stay," she smiled generously.

The view from the room was quite amazing. A golf course wrapped around the entire hotel, as well as plenty of tall palm trees and man-made lakes.

"I'm going to give Amanda a call, I'll be back a little later," Ethan told me as he walked right back out the door. I nodded and continued to admire the beautiful scenery in front of me.

I waited about ten minutes for Ethan to get back, but when he didn't show I decided to take a shower to pass the time. When I was done, I wrapped a towel around my waist and walked out into the main room. Ethan was sitting on his bed watching a television program about shark attacks.

"Hey man," he called to me. "Amanda didn't answer, but I figured out what room they are in, so we can stop by once you're dressed. They are right next door."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Did you plan that out or was it merely a coincidence?"

"Coincidence," he laughed. "I'm not that good. Anyways, get dressed. I want to catch them before they leave for dinner or something."

I slipped on some jeans and a light blue button up shirt. I didn't even bother fixing my hair; I let it do its own thing. "Are you sure we should bother them?" I asked hesitantly. "I mean, if Amanda didn't answer, they are probably busy."

"Stop being such a pansy. Let's go." Ethan grabbed a key off the desk and walked out the door. I followed quickly behind him.

I could hear loud music and laughter coming from the girls' room. No wonder Amanda didn't answer her phone; she probably didn't even hear it.

Ethan knocked firmly on the door, making a loud banging noise. The music suddenly turned off and the girls opened the door. Their faces went from huge grins to nothing but blank stares in a matter of seconds.

"Surprise!" Ethan shouted. "Happy eight and a half months Manda!"

It only took a few seconds to realize this was a horrible mistake. Both showing up in Palm Springs and standing next to this guy who just totally made a complete fool out of himself.

"Ethan, hi!" Amanda greeted her boyfriend with a warm hug. "What are you guys doing here?"

Emma's face still hadn't changed. She didn't even look at me.

"We came to surprise you!" Ethan answered excitedly.

"Surprise!" I waved my hands in the air, sarcastically, trying to make Emma smile. No such luck.

"On our girls' weekend?" Amanda questioned, sending Ethan a stern look.

"Well, I thought you'd be happy. Both of you," he gestured to Emma as well. "Emma, aren't you glad to see Rob?"

"Oh, yeah," she nodded, unconvincingly.

I took a step closer to Emma. "I'm so sorry," I said softly enough for only her to hear. "This wasn't my idea."

She simply nodded and walked into the bathroom. After a few minutes, she returned in a stunning gold dress, her long blonde hair curled to frame her face.

I could feel my jaw dropping. "You look so beautiful, Emma."

Emma ignored my comment. "Are you ready to go?" she asked Amanda. "The dinner reservations are in twenty minutes."

Amanda turned to Emma, bearing bad news. "Actually, Em, would it be ok if I go to dinner with Ethan? I mean, he did drive all the way out here and it is our anniversary." She looked tense, waiting for Emma's reaction. "Besides, that will give you some alone time with Robert."

"Sure," she stated monotonously and walked back into her room, plopping on the couch and turning on the television.

"Great! I'll be ready in two minutes!" Amanda's voice became more thrilled. "Robert, you can come in and hang out with Emma."

I started to step inside when Emma's voice stopped me. "I just want to be alone right now," she said, still watching the screen.

I turned around and shamefully walked back to my room. "Night guys," I told Ethan and Amanda as they continued to walk down the hallway to the elevator.

"Give her a little time, she's probably just mad at me," Amanda comforted me. "Have fun tonight!"

Sure, have fun. How can I have fun sitting when I know that the girl I love hates me and is sitting only one room away from me and I can't do anything about it?


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

Emma's Point-of-View

It was stupid of me to act this way, but I couldn't help it. I was spending so much time with Robert, I just needed to hang out with my best friend for a while. It's not that I wasn't happy to see him – I was, I just wish I could have had a chance to have some girl time.

I missed staying up all night talking about how idiotic boys were with Amanda. Or how someday we would fall in love and everything would be perfect. I remember when we used to have movie nights, where we'd snuggle under our blankets on the couch and eat a whole carton of ice cream, crying to The Notebook.

But, now things were different. I used to be jealous of Amanda. She had finally found a guy that she really truly cared about. But ever since then, it seemed like we never did any of the things we used to do together. I thought that maybe this trip would change that and reassure me that we _were_ those same two girls – best friends.

My hotel room was starting to feel really stuffy. I don't know if it was because I was crying, or because it really was hot in the room. Maybe it was a combination of both. Either way, I needed some fresh air. I took a seat on a lounge chair outside on the balcony. It was such a beautiful night, I was mesmerized by the twinkling lights of all the stars.

I heard the sliding of a glass door and glanced over toward Robert's balcony. He stepped out of his room.

He was still in his blue button down from earlier, although a few buttons were undone, exposing his chest. Wow, did he look gorgeous.

He did that familiar hitching up of a corner of his mouth, and my stomach knotted up like it always did.

"I knocked on your door," he said.

"I didn't hear it."

He held up a bottle of champagne and two flute glasses. Suddenly, he was climbing over the railing that separated our balconies.

"Robert!"

With a grin, he settled into the chair next to mine. "It was quicker than walking around."

"You're crazy," I told him.

"Crazy about you."

My heart thudded against my chest, and Rob looked out toward the horizon as though embarrassed by what he said.

He pulled me up to my feet. And then he kissed me. All of my anger disappeared into thin air.

He drew back, and then pressed his forehead against mine. "I love you," he whispered.

Our magical moment was cut short by the sound of laughter coming from the balcony next to us. "Shhh," a familiar voice said quietly.

Rob and I broke away from our embrace and looked towards his balcony. "I can see you guys, you know," Rob yelled next door to Amanda and Ethan hiding behind a tree. They giggled and ran back inside to Rob and Ethan's room.

"Come on," I grabbed Robert's hand and dragged him into my room. "Now where were we?"

"I think you were just about to say three words back to me," Rob answered.

"Wrong." I pulled him closer and kissed him slowly, provocatively. My knees grew weak as my arms tightened their hold around his neck. I was breathless by the time we stopped kissing, breathless and so incredibly happy.

He looked surprised. "That works too," he smiled, showing all his perfectly white teeth.

"I love you too."

Robert rained kisses along my cheek until he reached my ear. He whispered huskily, "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Being you," he beamed.

I blushed a little. "You're welcome?'

"You really don't get it do you?" Rob asked me smiling.

"Get what?" He guided me to my bed. Never letting go of my hand, he sat in the darkness, studying me.

"You saved me. If I never met you I'd probably be sitting in a bar or passed out in my bed. I was nothing before I met you. You changed everything for me."

"Ok, you totally rehearsed that, didn't you?" I laughed.

"Nothing gets past you, huh?" he nudged me, chuckling. "But I meant every word of it."

Rob looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was two o'clock in the morning. "Don't go," I begged him. "Stay with me."

He slipped off his shoes and stripped to his boxers. "Sporting the Risky Business look?" I questioned as he lay down in my bed.

"I think I make it look better than Tom Cruise, don't you think?"

"Mhm. Definitely," I said, grinning back at him. I went into my bathroom to change into my pajamas and put my hair up.

I turned off the light and found my way back to my bed.

"Goodnight, baby," Robert said as he cuddled up next to me.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

Emma's Point-of-View

The next morning I went down to the pool. Amanda was sitting on a lounge chair drinking some orange juice.

I dropped down on the chair beside here. "So how are you this morning?" I asked giddily.

"Good. But I should be asking you that," she said.

"Couldn't be better," I smiled. "Rob is amazing."

"Speaking of…" She nodded in the direction behind me.

I turned and there was Robert, striding towards us. "Hey, Amanda," he said.

"Hey. I think I hear Ethan calling for me. See you guys later." She walked off.

Rob sat on the edge of my lounger. "Do you have something against waking me up in the morning before you leave?"

I sat up and pressed a kiss to his lips. "You were just sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to disturb you."

He grinned. "So next time, disturb me."

"What makes you think there will be a next time?" I teased, knowing without a doubt that there would be.

"Because I love you."

I wound my arms around his neck. "That works for me."

"Yeah?" he questioned.

"Yeah. Because I love you too," I told him.

I was melting. The way he looked at me. The way his eyes were locked on mine. I don't think I ever smiled so brightly.

"Look at you," Robert smiled, gently touching the outer rim of my face.

"What?" I laughed, confused at what he was talking about.

"You're so happy."

"Of course I am. I'm happiest when I'm with you," I told him, rubbing his thigh.

Rob leaned in closer to me, placing a light kiss on my lips. Then he stood up, holding his hand out for me to grab on to. "Where are we going?" I asked him.

"I thought we could try something new today."

I looked at him, skeptically. "You're kind of scaring me," I smiled up at him. "What exactly are we doing?"

"Don't worry. It's nothing dangerous. I've discovered there's not much to do around this place, like you said. So Ethan and I made tee times for noon. The four of us are going golfing."

"Golfing?" I questioned him. "Rob, I have no idea how to play. We don't even have golf clubs," I explained.

"You can rent them. And it can't be too hard. If a bunch of old men can do it, I assure you we can," he chuckled.

Robert and I went back up to our rooms to change. I searched throughout my whole suitcase and found nothing suitable to golf with.

"Rob!" I shouted, knocking on his door. I laughed when he opened up the door in a peach colored polo and navy blue shorts.

"Don't laugh," he pleaded. "I borrowed them from Ethan," he whispered, not wanting Ethan to hear.

"You look…um…like a golfer," I tried to say convincingly.

"Thanks for the compliment, Em. But, I don't think you can wear that out on the course," he pointed to my sundress that I threw on after I failed at finding anything to wear.

"I don't have anything to wear," I told him, frustrated.

He grinned. "Emma, out of all the masses of clothes you packed, you can't find anything to wear? Unbelievable," he rolled his eyes, sarcastically.

"Sorry I didn't plan to go golfing!" I defended myself. "I didn't expect you two boys to come waltzing in on our girl's weekend!"

"Wow now," Robert stepped out into the hallway, laughing. "Let's go down to the club house and find you a nice outfit to wear." He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me to the elevator.

"Golf clothes are so unattractive," I complained. "I mean, who would wear this stuff?"

"Em, it's not a fashion show. Just pick something out." I could tell he was getting impatient. "How about this?" he held up a turquoise polo in front of me. "I love this color on you, it makes your eyes look amazing."

I smirked and grabbed it out of his hand. "I'll take it." I went up to the register to pay for the polo and a black skirt. After I finished paying, I went back up to the room to change.

This was going to be an interesting day. And probably very entertaining, for everyone else at least.


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Robert's Point-of-View

"Damn it!" I shouted angrily as another one of my balls veered far to the left of the fairway into the trees. I slammed the golf club back into the bag and hopped into the passenger's side of the golf cart.

Emma rubbed my thigh, trying to calm me down. "It's fine," she said. "You're still beating me."

"Sorry, Em, but that doesn't particularly make me feel any better," I snickered, holding on to the side of the cart as Emma drove to meet my ball. She parked a few yards away, letting me out.

Amanda and Ethan were parallel to us, but on the fairway. Ethan had played golf several times before. I made him look like a professional. It was Amanda's turn and Ethan was positioning her, holding her hips in place in front of the ball. She was smiling and giggling as he instructed her on what to do. I needed a drink.

After about twenty-five (literally) practice swings, Amanda hit the ball dead center on the green. I guess the extra practice does make a difference.

I walked over to my ball and quickly hit it my first stroke. I watched the ball fly through the air and land a few feet away from the pin. Finally a decent shot.

I strode over to the cart, much prouder than beforehand. "Nice shot, babe!" Emma cheered for me. Once I took my seat, I planted an unexpected and sultry kiss on her lips.

"This game is entirely too long," I complained as I slowly backed away from her face.

"Only five more holes," Emma assured me, smiling. "It won't be too much longer."

"Mmm. I don't have the patience," I pursed my lips.

Emma laughed and continued to drive. She had given up on playing at hole nine, which was probably a good thing, considered she only hit it about fifteen feet with every stroke. We'd be out here all day and night if she played. So she was promoted to the designated golf cart driver.

We finally finished the round of golf at around five. Ethan beat Amanda and I by a long shot. It wasn't even close.

After we returned the clubs, the four of us returned to our separate rooms to get ready for dinner. I don't think I could bear spending any more time with Amanda and Ethan, but I was going to have to. It was the last night in Palm Springs; I was going to make the best of it.

We ate a quick dinner and then ambled back to the hotel hand-in-hand in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. As we caught sight of the hotel, I insisted, "Stay with me tonight."

She smiled and nodded back at me. I waited outside her room for her to get my stuff – just some pajamas and a toothbrush.

I led her into his room. Emma paused as she stepped into the dark room, lit by countless candles and adorned with red roses.

I sat on my bed silently preparing what I was going to say. Emma still remained in the doorway of my suite, looking around the room in amazement.

"So, are you going to stand in the doorway all night, or are you going to join me inside?" I asked her eagerly.

Emma quietly laughed and walked inside, closing the door behind her. She leaned her body against the back of the door. "I'm speechless," she said.

"Good," I lured her in with my smile.

I swallowed hard as she sexily strutted over to me in her tight black pants and button up blouse. My body was aching as she took a seat in my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me.

"I don't know how you do it," I told her when we unlocked lips. "I lose it every time I look at you."

She shyly smiled.

"I've held you a million times and it still feels good," I told her. My heart was melting inside. I loved knowing that she was mine.

Emma brushed back my hair, not removing her eyes from my own. "As romantic as this is, can we do something…like…" she started.

I laughed. I admit it – I was getting kind of mushy. "Crazy?!" I interrupted her thoughts.

"YES!" Emma announced, looking relieved.

"I have the perfect plan!" I told her.

"Of course you do."

"Did you bring your bathing suit?" I asked her.

"No, just my pajamas and tooth brush."

"Those will have to do – minus the toothbrush, unless you plan on brushing your teeth in the jacuzzi," I laughed.

We both changed clothes – Emma into some booty shorts and tank top and me into some swim shorts. "Ready?" I asked her.

"Definitely!" she smiled.

We ran out into the hallway to the elevator, riding it down to the first level. We quietly passed the receptionist who was looking in the opposite direction at some files. "It's right over here," I told Emma pointing outside the back door.

I unlatched the gate to the spa, which displayed a sign stating that it closed at 10:00 pm. It was past midnight, if not later. Emma stepped in first and I followed close behind her.

"Ah, this feels sooo good," she said as she closed her eyes and leaned back against one of the jets. I took this opportunity to splash her. "ROBERT!" she yelled.

"Shh! You don't want us to get caught, do you?" I asked her.

Emma moved over closer to me and rested her head on my shoulder. "You're the best boyfriend," she said softly.

I chuckled, knowing that was far from the truth. "I don't quite measure up to Ethan's standards," I told her, somewhat self-conscious of my inferiority to Ethan.

"If you were anything like Ethan, I wouldn't be with you right now," Emma told me confidently. "I am so glad you're not."

"But he's so –" I started, trying to find the words. "Gentlemanly. So nice and smart and sensitive."

"And so not you," she said. "I don't want a nice guy. That's so boring. I want someone with a little sting to him. Keeps life interesting."

I shook my head, not agreeing with her. "You deserve better than me."

Emma positioned herself in front of me. "Listen to me, I want you. Only you. Please just get that through your head. I'm in love with you and you know that."

I kissed her forehead. "Let's go back to my room and get some rest, it's been an long day."

Emma's Point-of-View

The air was freezing when we stepped out of the hot water. "Did you remember towels?" I asked Rob.

"Shit. No, I didn't bring any," he said shivering. "On your mark, get set, GO!" he yelled as he ran off towards the lobby.

"Hey! No fair!" I shouted. "Why are you running?" I asked, chasing after him.

"Sooner we get back to my room, sooner we get warm under my covers," he answered intelligently.

Once we returned to his room, the candles were all blown out so it was completely dark. "Turn on the light," I told him.

THUD!

"Oh my gosh! Babe? Are you okay?" I asked trying to feel around for him.

"Ow. I tripped over your boot – those things are dangerous!" We both laughed. He finally got up and turned on the light.

"Bright!" I screamed, "It hurts my eyes!"

"Make up your mind woman! On or off?"

"On for now. I need to get changed out of these soaking wet clothes. Can I borrow something?" I asked him.

Rob searched through his drawers and tossed me a grey t-shirt and red and black plaid boxers. "Thanks!" I said.

"You're welcome, babe."

Once I brushed my teeth, I jumped into bed and covered myself with the blankets. I watched as Rob dried off his perfectly toned stomach and back with the hotel towel. He slipped off his wet shorts and put on some boxers. I gulped as he walked over to turn the light off and then climbed into the bed right beside me.

"Goodnight, Em. Sweet dreams." Robert whispered in my ear.

"Night, I love you," I answered.

Rob put his arm around my shoulders. I played with his fingers and then fell instantly asleep.


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

Emma's Point-of-View

"Babe, please ride with me. I don't know if I can stand driving with him for another two and a half hours. I swear, it might kill me," Rob leaned in and whispered in my ear as we walked side-by-side down the hallway. His arm was secured around my waist; I wasn't going anywhere.

I laughed at the seriousness of his plead. He wasn't very fond of Ethan, which doesn't surprise me. Ethan is a jock, big-headed, but also one of the sweetest guys I know. Robert just doesn't see past his sarcasm like I do.

"I'll see what Amanda says. If she is fine with going back with Ethan then I'll drive with you," I quietly responded.

Rob nodded, agreeably.

I wiggled out of his grip and ran up to Amanda and Ethan. I squeezed in between them. "Hey guys!" I said cheerfully. "Do you want to drive back together? I can totally go with Rob."

Amanda looked over at Ethan and smiled. "That's fine with me. Ethan, you didn't want to go with Rob, did you?"

"No, I'll go with you, Amanda," he replied back.

"Alright, then. I'll see you guys when we get back to L.A." I turned around and walked back to Robert. Although I was happy I got to go back with him, I was kind of offended by Amanda and Ethan's reaction. It was as if Ethan never intended on driving with Rob. Like he really didn't want to. I guess it was silly for me to be upset since Robert doesn't like Ethan, either, but I wished my best friends liked my boyfriend.

"They said no, didn't they?" Rob asked me, intertwining his fingers with mine.

"No, they said I can ride with you," I told him. He held open the door for me and I stepped out into the street. Rob's car was sitting in the valet.

"Then why do you look so sad?" he asked, perplexed. He took his keys from the valet and handed him a wad of cash.

Once we got inside his car, I answered. "I'm not sad," I forced a smile on my face and placed my hand on top of his. "Let's go home."

Rob peeled his car out of the hotel. It was silent until we got onto the freeway.

"I'm really glad you came," I told him.

He momentarily took his eyes off the road to glance at me and smile. "Me too."

Just one smile from him cheered me up. It was stupid for me to get all grumpy over one little conversation with Amanda and Ethan. It really didn't matter whether they liked him or not. He was my boyfriend and I loved him. Nothing could change that.

I took one of the CD's from his dashboard and looked at it. Robert quickly snatched it out of my hands and put it in the side compartment beside him. "What did it say?" I asked him.

Robert pushed his hands through his hair. "Nothing."

"Tell me," I demanded. "What did it say?"

Robert chuckled and shook his head. "Really, it's nothing."

"Well, can we listen to it?" I asked, sneaking my hand across him to reach for it.

"Emma! I'm trying to drive here!" he pushed my arm away.

"Hmph," I crossed my hands across my chest and stared out my window, keeping my distance from him.

It was quiet for at least five minutes and then Robert finally caved. "It said 'Emma,'" he said softly under his breath.

"What?" I asked him to repeat what he said, even though I heard my name perfectly.

He pulled the CD out and handed it to me. "It's a CD I made of songs that reminded me of you," he said, embarrassed. He made sure not to take his eyes off the road.

I didn't know what to say. I was completely surprised, but absolutely enthralled. I didn't think guys who did stuff like this existed outside of books and movies. "Can we listen to it?" I asked sweetly.

Robert sighed, indicating a 'yes.' I pushed the CD in and waited anxiously for the first song to play.

"Ive been searching a long time

For someone exactly like you

Ive been travelling all around the world

Waiting for you to come through.

Someone like you makes it

All worth while

Someone like you keeps

Me satisfied. someone exactly

Like you."

His face turned a shade of pink as the song continued to play. I followed the lyrics closely. They were perfect.

"Ive been travellin a hard road

Lookin for someone exactly like you

Ive been carryin my heavy load

Waiting for the light to come

Shining through.

Someone like you makes it

All worth while

Someone like you keeps

Me satisfied. someone exactly

Like you.

Ive been doin some soul searching

To find out where youre at

Ive been up and down the highway

In all kinds of foreign lands

Someone like you... etc.

Ive been all around the world

Marching to the beat of a different

Drum.

But just lately I have

Realised

The best is yet to come.

Someone like you..."

"Van Morrison," I spoke, my voice shaking from the chills.

Robert nodded, shyly grinning.

The next song played. Frank Sinatra.

"Some day, when I'm awfully low,

When the world is cold,

I will feel a glow just thinking of you...

And the way you look tonight.

Yes you're lovely, with your smile so warm

And your cheeks so soft,

There is nothing for me but to love you,

And the way you look tonight.

With each word your tenderness grows,

Tearing my fear apart...

And that laugh that wrinkles your nose,

It touches my foolish heart."

Robert laughed. "Your nose always wrinkles up when you laugh. It's adorable."

"Lovely ... Never, ever change.

Keep that breathless charm.

Won't you please arrange it ?

'Cause I love you ... Just the way you look tonight."

"I can't believe you made a CD with songs about me," I smiled. "This has to be the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me."

Robert laughed again. "I didn't do it for you, Em. I did it for me. The songs always make me think of you and I don't ever want to stop thinking about you."

The next song began to play. It was my favorite band, Kings of Leon. I giggled when I realized it was "Sex on Fire."

"Lay where you're laying

Don't make a sound

I know they're watching

They're watching

All the commotion

The kiddie like play

Has people talking

Talking

You

Your sex is on fire"

I interrupted the song for a moment. "How does this song remind you of me?" I couldn't help but laugh.

Robert shook his head, grinning. God, he was tantalizing.

"Is this supposed to hint at something?" I continued to laugh.

Robert pursed his lips, trying to stop a huge smile from coming over his face, but he failed.

"Dark of the alley

The breaking of day

Head while I'm driving

I'm driving

Soft lips are open

Them nuckles is pale

Feels like you're dying

Your dying

You

Your sex is on fire

And so

Were the words to transpire

Hot as a fever

Rattling bones

I could just taste it

Taste it

But it's not forever

But it's just tonight

Oh we're still the greatest

The greatest

The greatest

You

Your sex is on fire

You

Your sex is on fire

And so

Were the words to transpire

And you

Your sex is on fire

And so

Were the words to transpire"

"Maybe tonight," I said softly when the song finished.


	23. Chapter 23

CHAPTER 23

Emma's Point-of-View

"So I'll see you tonight?" Rob asked, raising his eyebrows. His body was turned towards me and his arm was resting behind my head on my seat. He sat still, playing with my hair until I answered.

"Yeah. What time should I come over?" I gulped, scared of what I was getting myself into.

"How about seven. I'll make us some dinner and then we can watch a movie… or something."

I smiled. "Ok, I'll see you then." He kissed my forehead before I got out of the car and headed to my apartment. I lugged my suitcase up the steep stairs and then fiddled with my keys until I found the right one.

"Amanda?" I called.

"In here!" she yelled from our bedroom. I carried my bag inside and set it down beside my dresser. I plopped down on my bed.

"I'm scared," I confessed.

Amanda turned her attention away from her computer and looked towards me with concerned eyes. "Of what?"

"I-I think I'm going to have sex tonight and I have no idea what to do," I blurted out, my voice quivering.

Amanda got up from her seat and sat next to me on my bed. "Are you sure you're ready? It's so soon."

"How long did you and Ethan wait?" I asked curious.

"Seven months," she answered. "And you've been going out with Robert for how long?"

"Two months," I laughed nervously. "I don't know if I'm ready."

"If you're unsure, you should wait," she told me straightforwardly.

"I'm completely sure I want to. I'm just worried, I guess. Typical for me – worrying about everything."

"That's Aquarius' for you," she giggled. "But it's nothing to worry about. You'll be fine, I promise. Just don't let him force you into it, ok?"

"It was kind of my idea," I admitted. "He's never mentioned it before," I defended Robert.

"Huh," Amanda raised her eyebrows. "That's surprising."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I sat up, now startled by her rude comment.

Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "He is a celebrity, Emma. If you're not having sex with him, I'm sure he has someone else that he's getting some action from."

I stood up, enraged. "Are you kidding me, Amanda? Where is this bullshit all coming from?"

Amanda's tone of voice didn't change. "I'm just giving you my opinion. From what I have read about him, he isn't the type of guy that sticks with one girl."

"From what you read in those trashy magazines? This is ridiculous. I cannot believe you are saying shit like this to me!"

"Well obviously from you're reaction, you realize that I'm right."

I grabbed a bag out of my closet and stuffed my best bra, the laciest underwear I had, some shorts, a tank top, and my toothbrush. I swept the keys off the counter and slammed the door before getting in my car and driving to Robert's apartment.

I knocked loudly on his door, but he didn't answer. I waited a few seconds before knocking again. I heard him unlock the door and then opened it.

"Hello," a girl spoke from inside. She only opened the door up enough for me to see her face.

I felt my heart drop into my stomach. "Uh, hi-i," I stuttered. "I-i-s Robert here?"

"Yeah," she answered, like I was some kind of idiot. "He's in the shower right now. When he gets out, I can tell him you stopped by. What's your name?"

I hesitated, wondering if I should just run away and never come back, but I decided he should know I caught him. Make him feel horrible about cheating on me. "Emma," I stated firmly. "My name is Emma."

"Ok, I'll let him know," she said before closing the door.

I bolted to my car and raced out of the parking lot and on to the highway. Tears were flooding down my face. I turned the music loud enough so I couldn't hear my own thoughts. I squeezed my eyes tightly and wiped the tears away. When I opened my eyes, I realized I was heading straight into a stop sign. I slammed hard on the brakes, fearful that my life was going to end right then and there. My car screeched and powerfully hit the sign. My head flung forward, but was stopped by the impact of the airbag. I immediately noticed a sharp pain in my back and neck. And then there was nothing. Nothing but blackness.

* * *

"Emma…Emma…can you hear me?"

I slowly opened my eyes to see who was whispering my name. Robert was kneeling beside me – his face inches away from mine. Surprised and totally taken back, I jerked up, but quickly fell back against the couch after feeling the immense pain in my neck. "Ahh," I moaned. "What happened?" I was almost in tears because I was the pain was so appalling.

Rob giggled. "Aw sweetie, careful now."

"Don't laugh at me!" I scolded. "What happened to me? The last thing I remember…"

"You were in an accident, Emma. But you are going to be fine," he gently stroked my cheekbones with the back of his fingers, which made me tingle all over.

It finally all came back to me. "You are cheating on me," I mistakenly blurted out.

Robert started laughing uncontrollably. "Emma, what kind of assertion is that?"

"That's why I got in the accident," I whispered, now remembering everything in it's entirety.

Rob looked at me, questionably.

"I went to your apartment and a woman answered your door. She said you were in the shower."

"Lizzie?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I don't know her name!" I shouted. "She wouldn't even let me see inside the door. I don't know what the hell you two were doing in there." Angry tears welled up in my eyes. "Just please tell me the truth," I pleaded him.

Robert continued to laugh and brushed his hair back out of his face. "I love you, you know that?"

"I'm not sure that I do," I answered, still angry that he wouldn't answer me honestly.

"If you must spoil the surprise," he began. "Lizzie is my sister. She came over to help me cook us dinner. She didn't let you in because she didn't want you to see what we were making."

I rolled over in my couch and stuffed my face in the cushion. "I'm such an idiot!" I shouted into the pillow.

"Baby, no you're not," he stroked my hair down my back.

"Look at me! I'm a mess! I can barely move, it hurts so bad. And we were going to...you know," I whispered softly, "do it tonight. Now that's out of the question."

"Says who?" Robert inquired, leaning in to kiss my lips. He pulled away slowly, teasing me. I reached forward and planted another kiss on his lips. He smiled. "That was good," he said proudly and then moved even further away to other side of the couch. I carefully sat up and pounced on him, kissing him slowly and passionately. "I think you are just fine," Robert breathed between kisses.

He swooped me into his arms and carried me out the door to his car. "Where are we going?" I asked, even though I knew exactly where we were going.

"Our dinner is getting cold," he chuckled.

"Wait!" I protested. "I need my bag." I pointed to my car. Robert set me down lightly in the passenger's seat of his car and then grabbed my bag out of my car and put it in the backseat of his car."

"Ready?" he asked when he entered the car.

"Mhmm," I nodded, smiling. I fought the pain that ran down my back. I needed him tonight. I needed to be with him.


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24

Robert's Point-of-View

I was relieved to see that Lizzie had gone when Emma and I returned to my apartment. The coffee table by the couch was set up with two plates and silverware, with a post-it note that read, "Dinner is in the oven ."

I guided Emma to the couch and set her gently down, grabbing both the plates off the table and taking them to the kitchen. "Do you need any help?" she asked thoughtfully.

I chuckled, "I think I can handle taking it out of the oven. I'm not doing too much work."

She smiled and rested her head against the couch. I placed a piece of lemon herb chicken breast and broccoli on each of our plates and brought them out to the living room.

"It smells delicious!" Emma beamed. "Mmm." I set the plate down on the table in front of her and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Compliments of Lizzie," I told her. "Although I did steam the broccoli in the microwave."

"Wow, I hope you didn't hurt yourself," she laughed at her sarcasm, but stopped at the pain in her neck. "Ow," she rubbed the back of her neck. "It hurts to laugh."

"Aw, babe," I comforted her. I put my dish back on the table and scooted my back against the side cushion of the couch. "Come here," I gestured her to sit in between my legs. She complied. I wrapped my hands around her shoulders and gently began to move my thumbs in a circular motion, trying to soothe her pain. Emma tilted her head back, relaxed.

"Thank you!" she cried. "This feels amazing."

I laughed. "Gotta loosen you up for tonight!"

Emma quickly turned around to face me. "Robert!" she giggled.

"What?" I asked innocently. "I'm just saying."

Emma rotated back around and allowed me to continue giving her a back massage. "I thought we were going to watch a movie," she said out of nowhere.

"Oh yeah," I remembered. I got up from the couch and picked up the movie from the countertop in the kitchen.

"What are we watching?" she asked as I put the disk inside the DVD player.

I glanced at the box and read the title, "Almost Famous. Lizzie lent it to me. Have you seen it?"

"I love that movie!" she responded excitedly. "Kate Hudson is my favorite actress."

"Hmm, alright then. I'll see if it's up to my standards," I grinned as I sat back down right alongside Emma.

Emma leaned over and placed a soft kiss on my lips. "If I let you watch it," she mumbled between kisses.

I pulled her body closer to me, allowing myself to kiss her more fiercely. Her legs were wrapped around my torso; my arms clamped to her waist. The opening music from the movie started to play. Emma unlocked her lips from mine and turned to face the television. "I really don't like this movie that much," she breathed heavily.

I kissed her with great intensity. "Good," I managed to answer. I picked her up and carried her to my bedroom, her legs still wound around my waist.

I placed Emma down on the king-sized bed, going back and forth between kissing her and unbuttoning my shirt. I finally ripped off the shirt and started to hastily unbuckle my belt.

I wanted her so bad. And I wanted her right now.

Emma pushed her hands up on my bare chest. "Hold on a minute," she said as she slid off the side of the bed. She picked up her purse and brought it into the bathroom.

"What? Where are you going?" I asked somewhat annoyed that she left right when things were starting to heat up.

I stripped off my pants and lied back down in the bed, impatiently waiting for her to return.

The bathroom door creaked open and through the dark room I could see a silhouette of a girl with perfect curves standing in the doorway. Emma switched on the bathroom light and exposed her sexy red lingerie and messy blonde long hair. She struck a few poses before turning the lights back off and joining me in the bed.

I searched through the dresser drawer for the pack of condoms. I ripped one open with my teeth and slipped it on.

"I love you so much," I breathlessly told Emma who was lying beneath me.

"I love you too," she replied. "I'm ready."

Emma's Point-of-View

This morning I woke up and Robert was lying on his side, his head propped up with the palm of his hand.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said sweetly as her pressed his lips against my forehead.

I smiled and stretched out my arms. "Were you watching me sleep?" I asked him curiously.

"Maybe," he replied shyly.

I pulled him down towards me and started kissing him.

After a while, Robert pulled out of the fiery kiss and plopped down on his stomach, catching his breath. "I am so glad you are all mine," he confessed, staring deeply into my eyes.

I got out from under the covers and climbed over to him, gently kissing the back of his neck. "You bet I'm all yours," I whispered into his ear.

He rotated his body around so his face was facing mine and began kissing me again.

"So did you want to go out and do something today?" he finally sat up to ask.

"Can we just stay here today?" I inquired.

"I wouldn't want to spend my day any other way," Robert answered, giving me a sultry grin.

* * *

The next morning I woke up and Rob wasn't there. I hopped out of the bed and put on one of Robert's flannel button-up shirts. I looked back over towards the bedside and saw a trail of red rose petals and Hershey's Kisses leading out the door. Following the path, I ended up on his rooftop, overlooking the city.

On the patio table was a note, written in Rob's handwriting, which said:

"Good morning Em, I hope you slept well ;). You are my everything. I kiss the ground you walk on. (Sidenote: Get it? Hershey's Kisses on the ground). I love you so much.

R"

I raced back inside to shower and then I put on a sundress that I had luckily stowed away in my purse. By the time I was ready, Robert walked through the door and shouted, "Babe?"

I ran over to him laughing and gave him a big hug and kiss.

"I brought breakfast," he held up two small brown bags and set them on the kitchen table.

"What did you get?" I asked, peeking inside the bags.

"Chocolate chip muffins and orange juice," he replied.

"Mm, yum!" I exclaimed.

We both sat down at the table and began to eat our breakfast.

"So I got an incredibly sweet note from this guy today."

"Oh, really?" Robert smiled. "Should I be worried?" he joked.

"Eh, no. I wouldn't be too worried. He's kind of a big dork…and a little desperate, too," I laughed.

"Hey!" Rob exclaimed, offended.

"I'm only kidding! Thank you so much, Robert. Really. That was the most adorable thing I have ever gotten. I love it, but I love you more."

He smiled. "I love you, too."


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

Robert's Point-of-View

If I had to rank my top ten best days of my life, the last three would be number one, two, and three. No questions asked.

I finally felt like my life was heading in the right direction.

That's why I can't bear to tell Emma the horrid news that I have kept from her the last month and a half. Sure, I could have told her when I first found out, but a month ago, I wasn't quite sure I'd still be with her. But now I was absolutely confident that there was no one else I'd rather be with.

The news I had received devastated me; I couldn't imagine how Emma would feel. I tried to forget about it; I pushed it to the very back of my mind and I even convinced myself that it wasn't happening.

But now it was a reality. Emma was going to utterly hate me when I tell her. I was leaving for Italy for two, maybe three, months to film the second movie, _New Moon_.

"Emma, can we talk?" I asked her as we were watching television in my apartment. Emma basically lived in my apartment now. She even brought over some clothes and a spare toothbrush just in case she spent the night, which seemed like almost every night this past week.

"Mmm. I don't want to talk," she replied seductively as she leaned over and closed the gap between our lips.

"Emma," I spoke between kisses, but she never stopped. "Emma," I pulled away. "I mean it."

Emma's bright smile faded into a thin straight line. "What is it?" she asked frightened. "What's the matter?"

I scooted closer to her on the couch and wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Nothing is wrong. We just need to talk about something. Something I should have told you a while ago."

She looked terribly worried. I couldn't let her wonder for any longer.

"You know I am an actor," I stated slowly so she could take it all in.

Emma nodded.

"Well, as an actor, we are given certain jobs that may be filmed somewhat far away," I continued.

"How far?" she asked in a trembling voice. She knew exactly what was coming. "How long?" Her face was saddened; I couldn't stand to see her distress.

I cleared my throat. "Italy," I began. "For three months." I took her hand in mine and tried to get her to look at me, but her focus remained on our two hands interlocked.

"When?" she asked monotonously. "When do you leave?"

This was going to be the hardest part. "Tomorrow," I answered, disgusted with myself and the situation in its entirety.


	26. Chapter 26

CHAPTER 26

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma's face said it all. She quickly got up from the couch and grabbed her purse off the counter before she ran out the door. I stalled, not knowing what I could do to fix this. There was nothing I could do, though.

"Emma, please, wait!" I called after her. She was already speeding off down the sidewalk. I chased behind her, not caring I was out in public in boxers and a wife beater. Getting Emma back was so much more important than bearing the humiliation.

She wouldn't turn around. "Emma, let me at least drive you home!" I shouted. I knew I didn't have the right to be annoyed with her, but she was kind of pissing me off now.

"Damn it, Emma! Just please stop! I love you," I begged frantically.

Emma stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, but refused to turn around. "Em, I'm so sorry," I cried softly. "Please just look at me."

Her head was down, her hands covering her face. When I looked at her, her eyes bloodshot red, tears streaming down her rosy cheeks, it nearly killed me. I gulped, not knowing what to say or do. I had never been so intimate with someone that it literally hurt me to see her so miserable. And the worst part was, it was all my fault.

"Let me take you back to my apartment," I insisted. "We need to talk this through. It's going to be fine."

Emma could no longer hold in her sobs. She buried her head in my chest, her head beating against my torso with each cry. I rotated her so we were parallel with each other and wrapped my arm around her waist. Her head still hid into my left side.

"Why did you wait so long to tell me?" she asked softly in her sweet voice once we arrived back at my apartment.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "I meant to tell you sooner. Every time I went to do it, though, I chickened out. I didn't want to ruin the moment."

"Understandable," she mumbled, agreeably.

"What?" I looked up at her. Her face was still red but much more calm and collected.

"It's ok," she stated. "I should have known this was going to happen. I was just a fling in between movies."

I stood up, angered by her accusation. "What?" I demanded an explanation.

"I'm just another girl to entertain while you are out of work. You found me, charmed me, and now your dumping me."

"What are you talking about?" I started pacing the room, trying to take this all in. "You are absolutely insane Emma!"

"Why else would you wait to tell me the day before you were leaving? You are just making it easier on yourself. You will be all the way across the world from me. You will be too busy working to even think about me."

"You are so ignorant!" I yelled. "You don't know me at all, do you? After all the time we spent together the last few months and you think I would _actually_ forget about you?"

Tears started to well up in Emma's eyes again. "I don't know," she sighed, slumping her shoulders. "I don't understand why you are doing this to me."

"I don't have a choice, Em. I have a job to do. Once the three months are over I will be right back here with you."

Emma didn't look convinced.

"I will," I promised and placed a kiss on her lips. She didn't resist, but I could tell she wasn't in the mood to kiss me right now.

"Ok," she nodded. "Just don't find any hott Italian chicks," she laughed.

A smile. Thank God, I hadn't lost her. I wasn't going to have to remember our last night together filled with arguing and crying.

I tugged at Emma's belt loops of her jeans and drew her closer. "I prefer American girls," I whispered in her ear. She pulled my lips to hers, kissing me firmly.

"I'm going to miss that," I breathed heavily when she let go.

Emma walked away towards the kitchen. "I can't do this."

I followed her. She was now sitting on my kitchen counter. I placed my hands against the counter on either side of her legs. "What's wrong?"

"I can't be without you for three months," she whispered, embarrassed.

I pushed her hair behind her ears and out of her face. "Baby, I know. It's going to be hard. Probably one of the hardest things I have done. But, we can do it. I'll call you everyday, I promise."

"Ok," she replied, not fully convinced.

I kissed her lips and then carried her off the counter and back to the couch. Tonight was going to have to be a good night. I needed to show her how much I loved her and that she didn't need to be afraid. Emma was the only girl I ever wanted to love.


	27. Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

Robert's Point-of-View

"Come here," I smiled, holding out my hand for Emma. She grabbed onto it and followed me into my bedroom. "Wait right here," I continued to smile as she took a seat Indian-style on my bed.

I brought my guitar from my closet and sat across from her on the bed. Emma's eyes grew almost twice in size. "What are you doing?" she asked anxiously.

"Just listen," I gleamed. Emma complied and sat very still, her eyes completely fixated on me.

My fingers lightly strummed the strings of the guitar.

"I should never think

What's in your heart

What's in our home

So I won't

You'll learn to hate me

But still call me baby

Oh love

So call me by my name

And save your soul

Save your soul

Before your to far gone

Before nothing can be done

I'll try to decide when

She'll lie in the end

I ain't got no fight in me

In this whole damn world

So hold off

She should hold off

It's the one thing that I've known

Once I put my coat on

I coming out in this all wrong

She standing outside holding me

Saying oh please

I'm in love

I'm in love

Girl save your soul

Go on save your soul

Before it's to far gone

And before nothing can be done

Cause without me

You got it all

So hold on

Without me you got it all

So hold on

Without me you got it all

Without me you got it all

So hold on

Without me you got it all

Without me you got it all

So hold on."

Tears filled her baby blue eyes. She couldn't remove the huge grin from her face.

"I love you," I told her, setting the guitar against the side of the bed.

"I know," Emma replied. "I love you so much." I wiped the tears that fell to her cheeks with my thumbs.

We spent the entire night just talking about anything and everything. Our hometowns, our families, friends, embarrassing stories. You name it. Seven o'clock snuck up quickly on us.

Emma was asleep soundly in my arms. I hated to have to wake her. "Emma," I whispered. "Baby, I have to go."

She slowly opened her eyes. "No," she moaned, hugging me tightly. "You can't go yet."

"I have to go, sweetie."

Emma sat up on her knees, allowing me to sit up as well. She ran her fingers through my hair and slowly kissed my lips.

I wasn't expecting her to stop so soon. "Where are you going?" I asked, still waiting on the bed.

"I'm getting dressed," she responded. "I want to take you to the airport."

"I have a car picking me up," I told her. "Come back here," I tried to reel her in with me smile.

Emma ran back to me, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me off the bed. She reached her arms around my neck. I picked her up, cradling my arms beneath her bottom. I kissed her collarbone, her neck, her lips.

There was no way I'd be able to leave her. It was impossible. That scared me. If I couldn't even handle leaving her for three months, what would happen if she ended up leaving my life forever? I couldn't deal with that.

"Emma," I spoke her name delicately.

"Hmm," she half-answered, continuing to kiss me.

"Come with me," I insisted.

"Robert," she stated seriously. "I'm in school, I can't."

I set her down on her feet, disappointed. I already knew that was going to be the answer, but I was in denial that she would change her mind. Drop out of school and come with me to Italy.

"I should get going. My car will be here soon," I said sadly, walking to my closet to get my suitcase. Emma also gathered her stuff and put it in her bag. She followed me out the door. This was it.

"I'm going to miss staring into your beautiful blue eyes, Emma."

The tears began to stream down her face again. She wrapped her arms around my waist, hugging me closely.

The honk of a car's horn separated us. I skipped down the steps and placed my bags in the trunk. "I'll call you everyday," I promised and kissed her forehead.

"I love you," she gasped, still crying.

"Please don't cry," I begged. It pained me so much. "I love you more than anything." I kissed her lips one last time.


	28. Chapter 28

CHAPTER 28

Emma's Point-of-View

I kept myself busy by spending a lot of time at work and the dance studio. Since I was planning on trying out for the competitive USC dance team, I decided I better start training pretty hard. I found it was easiest to keep my mind off missing Joe by sticking by a strict daily routine.

Wake up at eight.

Breakfast.

Jog.

Shower.

School.

Lunch.

Library.

Dinner.

Read until Robert called after filming.

Bed.

The plan was working out perfectly. I finally decided I was going to make it through this perfectly fine.

"BABY!" I squealed, answering the phone.

"Oh God," Amanda rolled her eyes and left the room. I think she was sick of me talking about how much I missed him. And I am guessing she was a little disappointed herself when he left because now I was always home. Her and Ethan never got the house to themselves anymore.

"Hi Em," he replied sweetly. "How are you?"

"Missing you. How was filming today?"

"It went great. I think. I hope," he laughed. "We'll see. What did you do today?"

"Same thing I do everyday. I have a paper due Thursday so I worked on that a little bit."

"Well it sounds like you are keeping yourself busy," he said.

"Yeah, I guess. I'm coping," I giggled.

"ROBERT!" I heard a girl shout in the background. "The pizza is here!"

"Sorry," Robert apologized. "That was Nikki. Apparently it's dinner time. Can I talk to you tomorrow?"

"Sure," I answered, frustrated. "Bye."

"Bye babe, love you always." And he hung up.

Robert's Point-of-View

Filming was horrible the first couple weeks. I couldn't get my mindset back to Edward and Bella. All I wanted to do was be with Emma.

When I finally got back into the groove of things, everything started to get better. The cast spent a lot of time together, going out to dinner and to clubs in Italy. It was just like last year filming where we were like a huge group of best friends. It was comforting to know I wasn't alone.

We all gathered in Kristen and Nikki's room for pizza and a movie. Ashley put the DVD in and pressed play, but nothing appeared on the screen. "What's wrong with it?" she asked Jackson, handing him the remote.

"I don't know. Let me try it." He pressed a few buttons and then the screen filled up with static. "I think it's broken."

"Damn!" Kristen replied. "Well, what else can we do?"

"I know!" Nikki smiled. She was up to no good. "Truth or dare."

"Oh God," I complained. "I'm going back to room to sleep." I started to get up, but Kristen pulled me back down to the floor.

"Come on, Rob. You're up first. Truth or dare?" she asked.

I pushed my hair back. "Dare, I suppose."

"Hmm," Kristen contemplated, smiling. She looked around the room at everyone. Ashley shook her heard at her, Nikki smiled brightly, evilly.

"I dare you…" she began. "To kiss Nikki on a gondola."

"Not happening," I said sternly, getting up from my seat and heading towards the door. Nikki beat me to it.

"Come on, Robert. You have to. It's just a dare. It doesn't mean anything," she beamed. If I could describe Nikki in one word it would be manipulative.

"Right," I complied. "Just a dare."

Nikki grabbed onto my hand and yanked me out the door and onto the streets of Venice. "This will be fun, I promise."

"Buonasera!" an Italian gentleman called from a gondola.

"Hi!" Nikki responded excitedly. "Mind if you take us on a ride?"

"Come in! Come in!" he ushered us into the boat. "Is this your honeymoon?" he asked us.

"No no no," I chuckled. "Just friends." I looked sternly at Nikki.

"For now," she added, grinning from ear to ear.

Nikki and I sat down inside the boat and the man started rowing out into the water, singing a beautiful song in Italian.

"Are you really going to make me go through with this?" I asked Nikki, hoping she would just let it go and pretend we kissed.

"You don't want bad karma, Rob, do you?" She leaned close and latched onto my lips. My lips moved in sync with hers. I imagined Emma. I missed kissing her soft pink lips. I grabbed the back of her neck, pulling her in closer, kissing her more fiercely. Stop it, I told myself. It's not Emma. Stop it.

I jerked my lips away, catching my breath. "Damn it!" I shouted. "Let me out. Let me out of the fucking boat!"

The man rowed the boat to the edge, letting Nikki and me out. I sped off back to my room, cursing myself the whole entire way back.


	29. Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29

"Robert!" I heard a voice behind me in the hallway. Damn it. I almost made it back to my room.

"What?" I asked annoyed. I turned around to see Ashley standing before me.

"What are you all pissed about?" she asked defensively.

I sighed. I didn't want to lash out at Ashley when she did nothing wrong. "I could just really use some sleep," I told her, sliding the key card through my door.

"You want to explain what happened earlier?" she started.

"What?" I questioned, pretending I didn't know what she was getting after.

"The kiss, Robert. Why would you kiss Nikki?"

I shrugged. "First of all, she kissed me. And besides, if we didn't kiss, everyone would make fun of me about not playing the game or whatever," I tried to defend myself.

"I think I'd rather be joked about than cheat on my boyfriend," Ashley stated. "But that's just me."

"I didn't cheat on Emma! The kiss didn't mean anything!" I shouted at her in the empty hallway. I was angry now; I didn't care if I woke anyone up. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, Ash." I slammed the door behind me. I know I promised Emma I would call her, but I just couldn't talk to her right now. I needed to get some sleep.

Emma's Point of View

So Robert didn't call me last night. I figured he was probably just really busy and never got around to it. I couldn't expect him to call me every single night.

Today Amanda and I were going to get our hair done. I always did the same thing – highlighted my already blonde hair and trimmed the ends. I wanted to try something a little different to surprise Robert when he came home so I got straight across bangs. They were edgy and cool; hopefully I could pull them off.

Amanda and I sat under the dryer reading magazines waiting for our color to process.

"Tell me when you're done with your magazine so we can trade," I told her. I skimmed through mine pretty fast; it wasn't very entertaining.

Amanda's face froze. "Oh – um – I don't think I'll be done for a while," she said.

"You have like two pages left!" I laughed. "What's going to take you so long to read?"

I peered over my shoulder to look at her magazine, but she slammed it shut. I grabbed it out of her hands and she looked really concerned. Flipping to the end of the magazine, I tried to find anything that she might now have wanted me to see.

Nothing so far. I turned the page.

"Love on the set of New Moon?"

And there it was. A huge picture of Robert and Nikki kissing.

I read the first sentence of the article, "Twilight stars Robert Pattinson and Nikki Reed rekindle their love on a romantic date in Italy."

"It's just crap Emma," Amanda interfered with my thoughts. "You can't trust anything you read in that garbage?" How hypocritical she was.

"Pictures don't lie, Amanda," I told her. To my surprise, I wasn't crying. I think I was too angry to cry. A million thoughts were streaming through my mind – How long was this going on? Who else was he kissing that wasn't caught on camera? This is so not like him! He loves me; this must be a mistake. Ugh. If only I went with him to Italy, none of this would be happening.

Throughout the rest of my hair appointment, I remained silent. I didn't want to talk to anyone. I walked out the door of the hair salon with an awesome new hairstyle, but inside I was feeling far from awesome.

I called Rob when I got home, knowing he wouldn't answer. He was at press conferences all day today. So I threw up my hair and pinned back my new bangs and went for a run. I hated running, but it helped me clear my head. I kept running and running and running until I had no idea where I was. I stopped and walked around trying to catch my breath. I was so lost. Hysterical from everything that was happening, I broke down and just started sobbing. I plopped down and just sat on the curb, trying to think what to do.

"Stupid!" I yelled at myself. I was in the middle of nowhere, crying, and with no cell phone.

Fortunately, I saw a beat up pick up truck coming down the road I was on. It stopped right beside me and the man got out of his car. "You ok, darling?" he asked me.

I sniffled and answered. "I'm not sure where I am."

"Well, do you want a ride? I can take you home if you'd like," he offered.

He seemed like a nice man, but I knew better than to take a ride from a complete stranger. But what other choice did I have really?

"Um…" I hesitated.

"Come on, now," he said, "I'm not gonna hurt ya."

I smiled a little. "Oh, I know. I just – I think I'll pass."

"Ok, then." He got in his truck and drove away.

I started walking in the same direction as his truck, hoping I'd find something that looked familiar. There was a small diner on the corner of the street.

"Would I be able to use your phone," I asked the woman at the front counter.

"Oh, hunny, we're not supposed to let customers use the phones. I'm sorry," she told me.

"I know, but I'm lost and I just need it to call my friend to come pick me up. I'll be quick, I promise." I felt like a little girl.

"Oh, alright. But make it fast."

I dialed my apartment number and Amanda answered. "Where have you been! Robert has been calling nonstop for the past like hour!"

"I went for a run and got lost. I need you to come get me. I'm at –" I looked at the woman and she told me the name of the restaurant. "I'm at Mel's Diner."

"Emma!" Amanda yelled.

"Just come get me, I gotta go. Bye."

"Ok, bye!"

The whole drive home Amanda lectured me about how tactless it was to leave the house without my cell phone, although she was pleased to know that I didn't take the ride from the strange man.

Right when I got home I called Robert.

Robert's Point of View

"Emma! I'm so glad you called now. We have about ten minutes before the next press meeting," I blurted into the phone.

There was silence on the other end.

"Amanda told me what you saw. It was nothing, I promise you Em."

"It didn't look like nothing…" she said quietly. I could tell she was crying.

"Baby, please. I can explain."

"Why?" she asked straightforwardly.

"We were playing truth or dare. Kristen dared me to kiss Nikki. I refused, but SHE kissed me!" I explained.

"Nikki…" she said. "Nikki kissed you. And you kissed her back."

"I didn't! Emma please trust me. I love you. I would never do anything to hurt you!" I stated. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

"Little too late for that." She hung up.

"Robert, it's time!" my manager shouted to me.

"I can't," I told him.

"Rob, I know you aren't having the best day, but you have to suck it up. We'll worry about Emma later. Right now you have thousands of fans out there waiting for you. Let's go!" Kellan tried to change my mind.

He was right, there was no point in arguing about it. I had to get out there even if my heart felt like it was shattering in a million little pieces.


	30. Chapter 30

CHAPTER 30

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma was on my mind the entire meet-and-greet. I really was such a fool and I really don't deserve her. I'm an idiot. I prayed that she would forgive me and someday I'd see her again.

After the show, Kellan invited Kristen, Ashley, Nikki , Jackson, and me back to his hotel room. I couldn't stand even looking at Nikki. But I was the stupid one. I should have resisted, but I was weak. As rude as I felt, I left them all to go to my room. I tried to call Emma but she didn't answer.

Emma's Point of View

I woke up this morning with a killer migraine. What a great way to start the day…

"You don't look so good," Amanda pointed out the obvious when I walked into the kitchen. "Are you feeling ok?"

"No," I said sternly as I swallowed two Advil pills.

"Let me make you some breakfast," she said trying to console me.

"I'm not hungry." I got up and went back up to my room. Ugh. I hated being a jerk to my best friend; it's not like she did anything to make me upset. Stupid Rob!

I had the day off from work. Thank goodness. I planned to spend the remainder of my day finishing the book I was reading.

"Can I come in?" a voice called from the other side of my door.

I didn't answer, but Amanda came in anyways. "Hey, are you up for talking?" she asked.

"Sure," I said as I scooted over on my bed so she had room to sit next to me.

"How did your talk go with Robert last night?"

"Apparently not very good since I've been sitting in my room sulking all day," I snapped uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry, Em," she said. "And Robert is too. Kellan just called me a little bit ago, he said Rob is hurting a lot about all this."

"Then he shouldn't have kissed her."

"I know – he knows that. We all know that. But we can't change what happened. It's up to you whether you are going to forgive him or not," she told me.

"I'll think about it."

"Ok, I'll leave you alone, then. I love you, Em." She walked out the door.

After that talk with Amanda, I decided it would be best if I got my mind off the situation for a while. I got changed and went to the gym.

All I could think about was how I needed to forgive Robert if I ever wanted to get back to the way things used to be. But I wanted to discuss things with Ashley first before I talked to Rob.

"Hello?" Ashley answered.

"Hi, Ash," I paused. "Do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Sure, hold on one second. Let me step outside," she said. I heard Robert yelling to Ashley in the background asking to talk to me, interrupted by Ashley shutting the door behind him. "Sorry about that. How are you doing?"

"Eh, not so good," I responded.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Em," she started. "That was a really messed up thing Robert did. But he is sorry. Really, really sorry. He has been moping around all day."

"Ha. Me too," I told her.

"You know, Emma, he cares about you a lot. And I'm not picking his side or anything, but I hate to see him so distressed. It's killing him."

"I know. I just need some time to think. Give me a few days to cool off and I'll try to call him," I said.

"Ok, as long as you need. Don't feel pressured to talk to him right away. I'm sorry, Em, but I have to go. Call me if you need anything."

"Ok, thanks Ashley," I stated.

"You're welcome. Hang in there."

I smiled on the other end of the phone. "Hey Ash, will you tell Rob that I say hi?"

"Sure, Emma. I can do that."

* * *

I waited two days until I called him.

Deep breaths. Breathe.

I dialed his number.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

"Emma…" Robert said softly.

Pause.

"Hi," I replied. I had no idea what to say.

"God, it feels good to hear your voice again," he told me. "I'm such an idiot. I'm so sorry about everything…"

I cut him off. "No, it's ok. Let's just forget about what happened. I just want to be happy, and the only way that's going to happen is if I'm with you."

"Me too," he said. I could tell he was smiling even though we were thousands of miles apart. "Check your mail today. I love you Emma."

"I love you Robert."

Right after I hung up the phone, I ran outside to check the mailbox. Inside was a manila folder addressed to me.

I ripped the edges of the folder and pulled out an airline ticket and a note which read "Emma, your flight leaves tomorrow morning at eight. My publicist will meet you at the baggage claim when you arrive in Italy and will take you to the hotel. Can't wait to see you. – R."

"Oh…My…Gosh!" I screamed, making Amanda dart from the bedroom.

"What happened?!" she questioned frantically.

"I'm going to Italy!" I cheered.

"Shut up. You are not!" she shouted, not believing me. She grabbed the ticket from my hand and looked at it carefully. "Oh. My. Gosh. You are going to Italy!" She hugged me tightly. "Have you talked to him?"

I ran to get my phone off the counter. I dialed Rob's number and he picked up after just one ring.

"AHHH!" I screamed into the phone.

"Someone's excited to see me," Robert laughed.

"Are you kidding? I'm beyond excited! How did you do this?" I asked.

"Well you do have a four day weekend, so why not?"

"I love you. Ok, I'm going to go pack, but I'll see you tomorrow!" I hung up and ran to my room to pack.

The next morning, Amanda dropped me off at the airport. The plane ride seemed like it lasted way longer than it should have, but that was probably because I was so anxious to get there. Italy – on the set of Robert's movie. I wondered what it would be like.

Finally the plane landed and I exited out into the airport. I ran to the window to get my first glimpse of the city of Venice. Absolutely beautiful.

I walked over to baggage claim and waited for the luggage to come out. Why did it always take so long? And where was Robert's publicist?

"Excuse me, miss?" a voice called behind me. "I think you dropped this." A hand brought a single yellow rose from my feet to in front of my face. I took it and turned to face the mystery person.


	31. Chapter 31

CHAPTER 31

Emma's Point-of-View

"Robert!" I squealed and jumped into his arms. He kissed my lips and didn't let go for a long time. When we unlocked our lips, I nestled my head in his chest. He rested his chin atop my head and held me close.

"I don't want to let go," he whispered in my ear.

"Then don't," I told him.

"But I have another surprise for you."

"Another one?" I asked curiously. "Like what?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?"

I shook my head, looking down at the golden-yellow rose in my hand. "I guess not. What is this for?" I asked. "I thought you weren't into the whole flowers and chocolates thing."

"Well that approach wasn't really working out too well for me was it?" he asked shamefully. He placed his lips to my forehead, kissing me lightly. "Do you not like it?"

"No," I smiled. "I really like it."

"Good," he nodded. "Now let's go."


	32. Chapter 32

CHAPTER 32

Emma's Point-of-View

"Where are we going?" I asked him impatiently. His fingers were intertwined in mine as we walked out of the airport.

"You'll see," he answered, quickly kissing the side of my face as we entered a black car that was waiting on the side of the street.

"You must be tired," he said sweetly, situating himself so that I could lean against him. I rested my head against his chest as he cradled me closer. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

"Emma," I heard his faint voice. "Emma, wake up. We're here."

I opened my eyes, blinded by the sun shining into the car windows. I stretched myself up and peered outside. What you see of Italy in movies and pictures does not amount to the beauty of it in real life. We were surrounded by endless acres of vineyards overlooking the city and the ocean.

It was breathtaking.

"Come on," he grinned excitedly taking my hand and leading me out the car door.

"Don't I need to get my stuff?" I asked, pointing to the trunk where my suitcase was held.

"No, everything you need is right this way." He couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"Is everyone else going to be here? Ashley? Kellan? Jackson? Kristen?" I refused to say Nikki's name.

"You ask way too many questions," he chuckled. "But if you must know, no, it's just me and you."

I looked up at him beaming.

"All right, right around this bend and we'll be there," he assured me. We turned the corner that opened up to a little cottage sitting on the ridge of the ocean. I ran towards it, pulling Robert behind me. "Wow, wow," he laughed. "Slow down. We don't need to rush. We have all night."

"Come on!" I urged him, not slowing my pace. Once we made it to the doorstep, Robert pulled a ring of keys from his back pocket. Inside the little cottage, the kitchen living room and bedroom were all connected. It was perfect.

"Babe, come here," I called him into the kitchen. On the table there was a basket filled with two different bottles of wine and pasta.

"You found dinner," he laughed. "Are you hungry?"

I nodded. "Mhm!"

Robert grabbed a blanket off the couch and the basket from the table and headed towards the front door. I followed him outside where he had set up a picnic in the middle of the grassy field. We sat for hours, talking, eating, and sometimes just simply sitting in the silence, enjoying each other's company.

As the sun lowered into the horizon, I laid down across the blanket. Robert copied my, putting his hands behind his head. We laid in stillness, watching the stars.

"Do you still love me?" he asked quietly, out of nowhere.

I rolled over on my side so I could see him. "Of course, why do you even have to ask?"

"I just wanted to make sure. After everything that's happened, I didn't know."

"Nothing could stop me from loving you," I assured him. It was scary how truthful that was.

A smile strewn across his face as he rolled over on top of me, kissing me eagerly. I hurriedly unbuttoned my shirt with the help of Robert's quick hands. He kissed my stomach and moved his hands up my body. "I missed you." My words were winded.

He closed the gap between our lips, kissing mine with great force. He scrabbled with my belt, trying to unbuckle it. He finally managed to get it undone, stripping off my jeans. He lifted his shirt over his head and threw it behind him. I pressed the palms of my hand against his warm chest and slid them down to his pants, helping him get them off.

We made love. Every time it got better and better. We fell asleep, our legs and arms entwined.

* * *

In the morning, I woke up just as the light was returning to the sky. I listened to Robert's breathing and studied the sharp curve of his cheek.

His eyes opened suddenly; our faces close.

"Hi, baby." His voice was scratchy with sleep.

"Hi," I said softly. "Good morning."

"What are you doing awake? It's early."

"I'm watching you," I answered.

"Why?"

"Because I love your face."

Robert looked genuinely surprised by my comment. How could he be? He must know that he is handsome.

"I love the way you look too," he said. His arms moved around me, pulling me against his chest. "And I love the way you feel."

I felt myself blush.

"And the way you taste," he stated, kissing my neck and my face.


	33. Chapter 33

CHAPTER 33

Emma's Point-of-View

I took a shower and got ready while Robert called in to schedule a car to pick us up and take us to the set. I wanted to make sure I looked extra good today since this would be the first day I saw Nikki since the incident. I straightened my long hair and my bangs to the front. I put on a blue high-waisted skirt, brown belt, and flats and then came out into the main room of the cottage.

Robert looked up at the sound of the bathroom door opening. "You look great," he complimented. "Did you do something different with your hair?"

I smiled at his recognition of my new hairstyle. "I got bangs," I told him.

"I like them."

"Thanks. Should we go?" I asked, wanting to get this over with.

Robert got up from the couch and grabbed our bags that were lying by the front door. "Yeah, I guess we should be leaving. The car is waiting outside."

Once we arrived in Venice, Robert and I got situated in our hotel room. Even though I was only staying for a few days, he insisted that I put my clothes away in the closet.

Meanwhile, Robert took a shower. When he came out of the bathroom, his face was freshly shaven.

"Hmph." I stroked his smooth skin.

"What?" he laughed, questioning my reaction.

"I loved the scruff. What do they have against vampires with a little facial hair?"

"Even if the producers did allow a little facial hair, Kristen would make me shave it anyway. Apparently it scratches her," he laughed and then stopped suddenly, realizing that wasn't the best explanation. "Shit," he cursed himself. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok," I smiled. "At least you have a girlfriend that handle a little scratch here and there." I kissed his cheek. "But it does feel very nice."

He grinned. "Ok, I have to go down to the set to get my hair and make-up done before the shoot. Kellan and Jackson are going to be stopping by in a little bit to take you to get some lunch. Then you can come down to the set. Is that ok?"

I nodded. "Yeah, that's fine."

"Ok, I'll see you in a little bit Em." He bent down to kiss my forehead and then headed out the door.

I flipped through the channels, trying to find something remotely entertaining. Before I found anything, there was a knock on the door. Kellan and Jackson must be here. It was pretty early for lunch, but I wasn't complaining. I was extremely bored. I needed to get out of the hotel room.

"Hi!" I opened the door excitedly, but was suddenly taken back to find Nikki standing in the doorway.

Surprise spread across her face. "H-hi!" she redeemed herself. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting Rob," I told her calmly, refraining myself from punching her in the face.

"Of course," she smiled flakily, not knowing what else to say.

"Did you want to drop that off for Robert?" I asked, pointing to the bag she was holding.

She quickly hid the bag behind her back. "Oh no, no. I just wanted to stop by and say hi," she lied.

"Nikki, come in," I told her. "I think we should talk."

Nikki nervously gulped. "Um, ok. I can't stay long though. I have to get back to the set."

I closed the door behind her and led her to the common area. "Take a seat," I told her, pointing to the couch. She sat down and set the bag next to her. "Here, let me take this for you," I grabbed the bag and took it to the kitchen counter. She jumped off the couch and ran after me, fighting for the bag out of my hands. How stupid were we? Playing tug-of-war with a paper bag.

"It's nothing," she explained. "Just give it back. Please."

"If it's nothing, you wouldn't be so concerned with getting it back," I retaliated. Why was I acting this way? I've never let jealousy get the best of me. As much as I hated to, I surrendered and let go of the bag.

"Jesus," Nikki growled and put the bag on the kitchen counter behind her.

"Sorry," I apologized. "This is just really hard for me – being in the presence of the gorgeous girl my boyfriend cheated on me with."

"It was hardly cheating," she rolled her eyes. "We were playing a game. Although it did feel _very _real."

I stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Robert and I have a very odd relationship," she explained. "You do know that we dated last year, right? Well, I don't know if I'd call it dating. Hooking up, I guess is a better way to put it."

I shook my head. "No, I didn't know that."

"Figures," she laughed under her breath. "Well we didn't exactly end on bad terms or anything…it just wasn't convenient after filming and promoting ended. He went back to England and I stayed in California. We didn't see each other as often."

I remained silent and just nodded.

"So it only makes sense that feelings have resurfaced since we've been reunited. It's just natural to us. It has nothing to do with you, sweetie," she smiled, touching my arm. I smacked it away, sickened by what she was saying. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. "Hunny, don't cry. This doesn't mean he doesn't love you. I know he does," she tried to comfort me. "He just loves me too."

"Get out," I said softly. She stared at me in confusion. "Please just leave," I told her again.

She obliged and began to walk towards the door. Before I shut the door behind her, she spoke. "Emma. Can you do me a favor and let Robert know I stopped by. You can give him the bag too. Thanks babe."


	34. Chapter 34

CHAPTER 34

Emma's Point-of-View

I sunk to the floor behind the door, trying to stop the tears from flooding down my face. But they were inevitable. I hugged my knees into my chest and let my hair fall in front of my face.

Stupid girl. I should've known.

"Emma!" Kellan's voice echoed through the wall as he banged his fist against the door. "Who's hungry?"

I quickly got up from the floor; scared Kellan was going to break the door down on top of me. I hysterically wiped the tears from under my eyes, hoping that my makeup didn't run down my cheeks.

"One second," I yelled, trying to disguise the sadness in my voice.

I ran into the bathroom to check my makeup and fix my hair. I waved my hands toward my face, trying to cool the redness from my eyes. Once I was decent, I unlocked the door and Kellan barged in with Jackson following behind him.

"What's up Emma?" Kellan asked, giving me a nice big bear hug.

"Can't breathe," I mumbled.

"Sorry, bud," he laughed. "Sometimes I don't know my own strength." He flexed his arms, displaying his massive biceps.

Jackson rolled his eyes. "Hi Emma, how are you? How was your trip?" he asked kindly.

I gave Jackson a hug. "I'm ok. My trip was long and boring, but I'm glad I'm here."

"Everyone is glad you are here too," Jackson replied.

I laughed. "Well I'm not sure _everyone_ is." Kellan and Jackson looked at each other. They knew who I was referring to. "Nikki stopped by earlier."

"She did?" Kellan asked, surprised. "Was Rob here?"

"No," I answered plainly.

"Huh. Well that's weird. I wonder what she wanted," Jackson interjected.

"She brought that bag for Robert." I pointed to the kitchen counter.

Kellan nosily peeked inside and pulled out a stack of CD's.

"Is that all that's in there?" I asked suspiciously. What was the big deal about CD's?

He fished through the bottom of the bag, pulling out a pink striped box, obviously from Victoria's Secret. "Hmm," Kellan smiled, shaking the box left and right.

"Ok, that's enough!" I said. "Put everything back in the bag. I don't want to see anything more."

Jackson hurried over to Kellan and helped him put everything away. "I'm sorry Emma, I shouldn't have looked," Kellan sincerely apologized.

I laughed, camouflaging the tears that were starting up again. "It's fine." I wiped my eyes and then took a deep breath. "Let's get some lunch," I smiled forcibly.

Jackson wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led me out the door following Kellan to a little Italian deli for lunch. It was nice to talk to them. They were so down to earth and funny. By the end of the lunch, I felt like I made two best friends that I'll have for the rest of my life.

"I guess we should get down to the set," Jackson stated. "Do you want to go, Emma?" I knew he was really asking if I could handle seeing Nikki and Robert together.

"Yeah, I'll go for a little bit," I answered, unsure if that was a good decision or not.

* * *

I have to admit; I never realized how much work was put into making a movie. It was quite a production. Robert was busy filming when we arrived on the set and Kellan and Jackson dispersed to talk to the crew and other cast members so I was stuck alone on the sidelines watching them shoot.

Robert caught a glimpse of me and smiled, but once I waved his attention was back on Kristen.

After a few more takes, Robert, Kristen, and Ashley were let go for a break. Robert made his way towards the makeup and hair stations for touch ups. I waited patiently for him to finish. Fifteen minutes later he finally came to me. "Hi baby," he smiled. "How was your day so far?"

I used all my force to hold back my tears and stay strong. Surprisingly, this time it worked. "It was ok," I answered shyly, leaning up to kiss his cheek.

He backed away, leaving me kissing the air. "Sorry babe, I just got my makeup done."

"Oh," I replied softly. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I have to get back though. I'll see you tonight, ok?" He darted back towards the set, running in to Nikki on his way. The two of them were smiling and laughing and standing way too close. Nikki peered over to me and grinned maliciously.

I turned to run away. "I thought I could do this, but I cant," I told Kellan. "I need to go home." I cradled my arms over my stomach, trying to make the sick empty feeling in the pit of my stomach disappear.

"Are you sure?" he asked, concerned.

I nodded.

"Ok, well if you can wait about a half hour I can take you back, but I have to stay here for now."

"It's ok. I'll just go," I told him and started speedily walking away, still holding my stomach.


	35. Chapter 35

CHAPTER 35

Emma's Point-of-View

"Emma! Where are you going?" I heard Robert's voice and his feet trailing behind me. It didn't take him long to catch up to me. He grasped my shoulder and turned me around. "Why are you leaving?"

"I'm not going to stand here watching you with her and pretend like nothing is going on between the two of you." My words were fired with anger.

"Wait, what? Who are you talking about?" he asked puzzled.

"Robert! Don't stand here and act all innocent and ignorant. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

He stared at me, his expression blank.

"Forget it," I sighed and continued to walk back to the hotel.

Robert followed me but was stopped by the director. "Robert, we need you. Let's go!"

"Not now!" he shouted. "We'll finish it tomorrow. I have to go."

"Robert, we need to finish it now."

"What are you going to do if I leave?" he chuckled egotistically. "We'll finish it tomorrow."

When I arrived back at the hotel, I slammed the door and immediately went to the bathroom. My stomach pain was getting much worse. I felt the sudden need to throw up. I leaned over the toilet on my knees and held my hair back. I couldn't control my sobbing any longer.

"Emma!" the bathroom door swung open. I didn't even hear him get in the front door. I started choking on my tears. Robert fell to the floor next to me, cradling me against him. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Everything," I cried.

"Shh," he tried to calm me. He ran his fingers up and down my arm, sending chills throughout my body.

The coughing became fiercer. I knew I was going to throw up. "Get out," I told him.

"Emma, I'm not leaving you." He pressed his lips to my shoulder. Just as he did, the vomit poured out of my mouth.

"Oh God," he murmured, sitting up and pulling my hair back from my face. He rubbed my back with his free hand, trying to soothe me. "You're going to be okay," he assured me.

* * *

I threw my hair up in a messy bun and put on some comfortable clothes that Robert laid out for me. When I got out of the bathroom, he was sitting on the loveseat, which was rearranged to be closer to the couch. The couch was covered with blankets and a pillow from the bedroom and there was a plastic bag beside it in case I got sick again.

When he saw me, he jumped up and helped me to the couch. He lifted up the blankets and covered me with them once I lay down.

"Tell me how you feel, love. I can't read your mind," he whispered softly.

"I'm fine."

He smiled and traced his fingers along my forehead. "Emma, please. I know that's not true. What's bothering you?"

"You can't love both of us," I murmured quietly.

"The only person I love is you, Emma. I know I tell you this all the time. It's exhausting. What do I have to do to prove to you that that's the truth?"

"I'm sorry," I apologized, sinking deeper under the blankets. "She just has this way of getting to me. She brought you a little gift today."

"What?" he asked anxiously. "Nikki was here?"

"Yes," I sighed. "It's on the counter."

He hesitated before getting up to see what she had brought. He rummaged through the bag, pulling out the CD's and then the Victoria's Secret box. I watched as he slid the top off and immediately slammed it closed.

Robert drifted back over to his seat next to me. He pressed his head into the palm of his hands. "I'm so sorry."

"Is there something you need to tell me?"


	36. Chapter 36

CHAPTER 36

Emma's Point-of-View

"What do you want to know?" he asked annoyed. "Do you want to know every little detail of my past relationships? Is that what you want?"

"No, I have no interest in your past relationships, Robert. I don't care if you and Nikki dated or hooked up or whatever you want to call it. All I care about is right now. I know you kissed her once since you've been here; I need to know that that was the only time."

"It was, I swear," he promised.

"Ok, then what is the bag all about?" I questioned.

"I lent her those CD's a while ago. She was just returning them."

"And the Victoria's Secret box?"

Robert sighed. "Nikki is very…provocative. She is just trying to reel me back in, but it's not going to work." He took my hand in his, gently massaging it with his thumb.

I sunk deeper into the couch. "Why do you have to work on a movie with her? Do you realize how hard this is for me? She's gorgeous and talented…and experienced. And I'm just…"

"The love of my life," Robert finished my sentence with a stunning grin on his face. "I'm going to be stronger, Emma. I won't let anything happen to us. It's just you and me. That's all I need; all I ever want."

A tear trickled down my cheek.

"Emma, you must stop all this crying. It pains me to see you so sad." He wiped the tear away.

I giggled. "That one was a happy tear!"

Robert exhaled a sigh of relief. "I'll try my best to keep you happy."

"You don't need to try," I explained. "Just don't let Nikki get within ten feet of me. I'll knock her out."

"Wow!" he chuckled, running his fingers through his hair. "Emma! I've never seen this feisty side of you."

"Sorry," I apologized, embarrassed.

"No, no sweetie. I find it very attractive." His smile was intoxicating. "Now if you hadn't just been sick in the bathroom, I would kiss you right now." He tried to hold back his laughter.

"Hey!" I slapped his arm. "It's not my fault. I think I got food poisoning."

"Aw, Em, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. How are you feeling?" he asked sincerely, still slightly giggling from before.

"My stomach still hurts a little, but much better than before. Thanks."

Robert leaned back in the loveseat and turned on the television to the news. "Try and get some sleep. You'll feel better when wake up."

"Ok," I said quietly. "But before I fall asleep; you never told me what was in the box," I smiled.

He looked back at me, shaking his head. "Lingerie," he laughed, mortified. "I'll give it to Kellan to give back to her."

"No, don't," I told him. "It was a gift after all. I'm sure we can find some use for it."


	37. Chapter 37

CHAPTER 37

Robert's Point-of-View

I waited until Emma was sound asleep before I called Nikki. I stepped into the bedroom, not wanting to wake her up.

"Finally," Nikki answered the phone. "What took so long?"

"Emma's sick," I explained. "I need to stay with her."

"You promised we'd talk."

"I'm sorry, Nik. I can't go out tonight. When Emma is back home we'll work everything out," I told her.

"So, what? I'm going to sit around for three more days? You can't string both of us along like this, Robert. It's not fair. You have to choose one of us."

"I thought I've made it quite clear who I've chosen." My voice became louder.

Nikki sighed heavily. "I'll be over at seven, Rob. You can tell me to my face." She hung up before I could retaliate. _Great_. Well at least I get to see my girlfriend throw a punch. That should make for an entertaining night.

"Robert?" Emma called agonizingly from the other room.

I raced into see her. Her face was as pale as snow. "Emma, you don't look so good. How are you feeling?" I lightly pressed the back of my hand to her forehead. "You're warm. I think you might have a fever."

"I don't feel any better. I feel worse that before," she moaned.

"I'm so sorry, love. Hold on one second." I dialed Ashley's number. "Hey Ash. Emma's really sick. I think she may have the flu or food poisoning. Not quite sure. Do you think you could do my a huge favor and pick up some medicine to bring over?"

"Of course, I'll be right over," she replied.

"Ashley is going to bring over some medicine. Hopefully that will help. I'd hate it if you were sick the whole time you were here."

"Me too. I'm sorry I'm such a downer."

"Babe, please. You don't know how nice it is to just relax and stay in all day with you." I bent over and kissed her warm forehead. "Can I get you anything in the meantime? I think I'm going to order some food, do you want some?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Food does not sound appetizing at all."

"That's a first," I laughed jokingly.

Emma laughed along with me. "You're right. It's very strange."

I paced the room, hoping Ashley would arrive in the next ten minutes. I didn't want to face Nikki alone. Coward, I know.

There was a knock at the door. I peered through the peephole and saw Nikki standing outside. "Better get your boxing gloves ready," I told Emma.

"Why?" she asked half asleep.

Before I answered, Nikki pounded on the door again. I let her in, not saying a word to her as she walked past me to the kitchen table.

"Hi Emma," she said. "Heard you were sick."

Emma looked back towards the kitchen, infuriated to see Nikki. She shot me a stern look before making eye contact with Nikki again. "What is she doing here?"

"I came to talk to your boyfriend," she said laughing. "In private." She pulled me by my jacket pocket to the bedroom.

"I'll be right back," I promised Emma. "If Ashley gets here, the door is unlocked so just yell for her to come in."

Emma nodded and closed her eyes.

"Nikki, was this really necessary?" I asked her once she closed the door of the bedroom. She put her hands behind her back and switched the lock.

"Yes," she responded softly.

"Don't do this," I pleaded.

She pressed the palms of her hands to my chest. "Just one more time. For good times sake." She kissed my lips, but mine remained frozen in place.

"Please," I begged. "Just stop."

She ignored anything I said. She always did have a mind of her own and she always got whatever she wanted. She pulled the zipper down on my jacket and removed it from my shoulders. She pushed me towards the bed, straddling me in a sitting position. I wasn't going anywhere. Her lips moved to my neck and then down to my chest. She ripped the shirt I was wearing off and threw it to the floor. I sat motionless on the bed, memories of the two of us running through my mind.

"Don't let go," she breathed. "I've wanted this far too long." She unhooked her bra and flung it across the bed. She reached for my hands, running them up her legs to her breasts.

"Damn it Nikki!" I cursed, lifting her off of me. "You can't keep doing this to me!" I frantically picked up the clothes from the floor

Nikki just laughed. "Oh stop it, Robert. I can pick up after myself." She grabbed her bra and put it back on faster than she took it off. "I just wanted to make sure I still had you whipped. And I obviously do. Now I can leave peacefully." She exited the bedroom feeling quite good about herself. "Bye Emma, hope you feel better." She blew her a kiss and walked out the door. "Oh hey Ashley!" Ashley walked in and gave me a concerned look. I walked up to her, still recovering from my encounter with Nikki.

"I think she finally gets that we're over," I whispered to her.

"Who? Emma? Or Nikki?" she asked, confused.

"Nikki!" I answered; surprised she even had to ask.

Ashley walked past me towards the kitchen, taking a glass and filling it up with water. She handed a pill and the water to Emma. "Here sweetie, take this."

"Thanks," Emma graciously said. "How was your talk with Nikki?" she asked me. "Did you get everything figured out?"

"Yeah, everything is great," I sighed.


	38. Chapter 38

CHAPTER 38

Emma's Point-of-View

I don't even remembering falling asleep last night, but I woke up in the comfort of the hotel bed. Unfortunately, I woke up alone. I rolled over to the side of the bed to see what time it was. _9:30_. I must have slept for at least fourteen hours. Which means, I just wasted fourteen hours sleeping when I should have been spending time with my boyfriend. That's why I was here, anyways.

I heard a loud clash coming from the kitchen. "Damn it!" Robert shouted.

I couldn't help but laugh. _What was he doing in there?_

I stretched out comfortably, sighing loud enough for Robert to realize that I was awake. A few minutes later he walked in with a tray with pancakes, syrup, and orange juice.

"Good morning sleepy head," he smiled genuinely. "How are you feeling?"

I sat up in the bed, propping the pillow behind me. "Hi," I wiped my eyes with my fingers. "What is all of this?" I asked astonished, completely ignoring his question.

"I had a little cooking experience," he chuckled. "I hope they taste all right. I followed the directions on the box and I even added in some chocolate chips."

"My favorite," I grinned. "Thank you so much." I scooted over on the bed and patted the empty space next to me. Even though Robert was already dressed out of his sweats, he climbed back into the bed.

He kissed my cheek. "Eat up. We have a busy day ahead of us. That is, if you're feeling better."

I nodded smiling and then dove into the food. "This is delicious," I told him. In truth, they were a little dry, but I would never tell him that. He was too pleased with himself that he actually cooked a meal.

"Good," he said. "You look a lot better this morning." He watched me as I continued to devour the pancakes.

"I feel much better," I told him. "Do you want some?" I asked him, gesturing to the half of a pancake I had left. I giggled. "Oh wow, where did they all go?"

Robert laughed. "Your stomach." He tickled my stomach, almost making me spill the orange juice off the tray. "Careful," he continued to laugh. He stood up and took the tray from my lap. "Go shower so we can go!" he said excitedly.

"Where are we going?"

"Do I ever tell you where we're going?" His smile was captivating. I jumped off the bed and, kissed his lips, and then ran to the shower.

As soon as I shut the bathroom door, there was a knock outside. "Yeah?" I shouted outside.

"Do you want company in there, babe?"


	39. Chapter 39

CHAPTER 39

Emma's Point-of-View

I quickly wrapped a towel around me and opened the door. The bathroom was already extremely hot and the mirrors were all steamed. Robert came inside and felt the water of the shower. While he undressed, I dropped the towel and went inside. He followed shortly after me.

* * *

"Ok, on the count of three open your eyes." Rob's grip on my arms was tight, holding me in place. "One. Two. Three.

"No way!" I screamed excitedly like I was a little kid. "Oh my gosh, this is going to be so much fun!"

Robert placed a purple helmet on my head and connected the straps below my chin. "Well don't you just look cute," he laughed.

"I bet you look cuter!" I teased, tossing him the other helmet that was resting on the seat of the motorcycle. He put it on and shot me a how-do-I-look glance. I smiled brightly and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"Here put this on." He handed me a leather jacket. I slipped my arms through and Robert zipped it up. The whole time he couldn't keep the grin off his face.

Robert sat on the bike and gestured me to climb on. I straddled my legs around him and hugged him tightly. "So where are you taking me?"

"Hold on tight," he yelled back to me, starting the engine.

The bike zoomed through the narrow Italian streets. At first I was wary of Robert's motorcycle driving skills. I mean, if he can hardly drive a car, how should that make me feel safe on a motorcycle with him? He nearly wiped out five pedestrians and two other vehicles, but we miraculously made it to the first stop.

I recognized this place from pictures. The Trevi Fountain.

"Here," Robert said, handing me three coins. "It's lucky to throw three coins into the fountain."

"Why three?" I asked.

He chuckled. "I don't know the details. I just know it's lucky. Now turn around and throw them with your right hand over your left shoulder and make a wish."

I closed my eyes and threw the coins over my shoulder into the fountain. I really hoped my wish came true.

Robert tossed his in at the same time.

"What did you wish for?" I asked him as he grabbed hold of my hand and started walking around.

"I can't tell you," he snickered. "It won't come true!"

"Hmph," I sighed.

"Come on, Em. Let's go. If you want to fit all of the tourist attractions of Rome in one day, we better get moving."

"You're amazing," I smiled up at him. "Thank you for doing all of this for me."

Robert leaned down and kissed my forehead. He squeezed my hand a little tighter. "I do it because I love you."

It was so good to hear him say that. I hadn't heard it in a while. "I love you too."

At the end of the day I was absolutely exhausted. I had enough of crowds for one day. I just wanted to spend time alone with Robert. It was my last night in Italy before I had to go back home. I tried not to think about having to leave.

"All right, I have one more surprise for you," he told me when we made it back to the hotel room. "I'm going to need you to pack your bags and put something nice on."

"What?" I asked. "Are you kicking me out?"

"Of course not." He grabbed me by the waste and slowly kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck, drawing him nearer. "The red dress," he said in between kisses. "Wear the red dress."

I didn't want to have to get dressed up and go out again, but I obeyed. I threw all my clothes into my suitcase except for my red dress and heels, which I took into the bathroom to get changed into. I touched up my makeup and put my hair up into a pony tail, accentuating the strapless dress. When I exited the bathroom, Robert was standing in a black tux. He looked absolutely gorgeous.

"I never thought I'd see the day," I laughed, gaining his attention. He turned around to face me. "Are you actually wearing a tux?"

"It seems that way," he smiled, stepping closer to me. "You look beyond stunning," he whispered in my ear and kissed my cheek.

I tied his tie for him. "You look exceptionally handsome," I told him. "We must be going somewhere extra special.

"Well," he started. "It is a special night."


	40. Chapter 40

CHAPTER 40

Emma's Point-of-View

A car dropped Robert and I off at the same airport I arrived at. "I knew you were sending me home," I laughed.

"Oh stop," he snarled sarcastically. He led me to the terminal, his hand placed gently on the small of my back.

We entered a small passenger plane, where the pilot and the flight attendant only accompanied us. Robert and I split a bottle of champagne during the short flight. As soon as we landed, Robert exclaimed: "We're home!"

"What?" I laughed, bewildered. I looked at the window but couldn't tell from the airport where exactly we were.

"London," he smiled. "Home." I had never seen Robert so excited before. He truly did love London. This was his home. His life. I wondered if I would fit in.

Another car took us to a house in the center of the city. "Is this your house?" I asked, looking around in amazement while Robert lifted our bags out of the trunk.

"My parents' house," he corrected.

"Wait, I'm meeting your parents? Right now?" I asked overwhelmed. I was freaking out.

Robert chuckled. "They aren't home. We're house sitting."

"Oh," I said relieved. "All right then." I continued walking, waiting for Robert at the doorstep.

The house was small, but very modern and up-to-date. It was great. I could totally picture Robert growing up there. Rob walking in and flipped on the switch, illuminating the entire first story. He set our bags down by the door, replacing my suitcase with my hand. "Come here," he said anxiously. He walked me upstairs and opened up the door on the left. "Here's my room."

He plopped down on his bed. There was something different about him. He was so happy here. This is where he truly felt comfortable.

His room was tiny. There was only room for his bed, a desk, and his piano. "Will you teach me how to play?" I asked, sitting down at the bench of the piano.

I didn't think his smile could become any more apparent. He slid on to the bench next to me and began stroking the keys, playing a beautiful melody, humming along to it. "Here," he said, taking my hand and placing each of my fingers on a different key. I pressed down to hear the sound. He rearranged my fingers a few times more, before exclaiming that we had to get going.

We walked along the streets in London until we made it to a restaurant a couple blocks away. I now know why he had me get dressed up; it was extremely fancy.

Once we sat down, Robert and I began talking. "I've never seen you so happy," I told him, very pleased.

"That's because I couldn't be happier. I am in my favorite city with my favorite person in the world." He took my hand and kissed it gently.

"I love you," I told him.

"I will always love you, Emma," he responded emotionally.

After dinner, Robert and I strolled through a park for hours. We went around and around countless times, just talking about everything and anything. Dark clouds were scattered across the night sky, covering all of the shining stars. We took a seat on a bench in the center of the park. We watched as everyone else walked around and eventually left. In time, it was just the two of us.

Robert put his arm around me, pulling me closer into him. He cradled me into his warm chest. A raindrop hit me on the forehead and then all of a sudden, it started to downpour. "Oh my gosh!" I jumped up screaming. "It's raining!"

Robert chased after me, catching me in the middle of the heavy shower. He pushed the soaking wet hair out from my face. His wet hands embraced my dampened face. He pressed his lips to mine. It was electric. Filled with intensity.

He pulled away, breathless, laughing. "I am madly in love with you," he told me, his hands still gripped around my face.

He pulled out something from his jacket pocket. A small black box. "Emma," he began. "I didn't plan this; to fall in love with you. But I did. The person you love is the one you follow. The one who tells us how to be in the world, and let's us know whether we're doing the right thing or not. For me, that person is you and will always be you."

The tears in my eyes blurred my vision as I looked up at Robert, trembling in my high heels. I blinked and the tear rolled down my cheek.

He lowered himself to one knee onto the wet ground.

"Emma." He said my name softly as he placed a beautiful band on my ring finger. "With this ring, I promise that I will be faithful to you and that I will always love you with all of my heart. I promise you."


	41. Chapter 41

CHAPTER 41

Emma's Point-of-View

We sprinted all the way back to Robert's house in the pouring rain. We were completely and utterly drenched. My red silk dress clung to my stomach and legs, as did Robert's white, now see-through, button-up to his chest. He covered us both with his blazer, trying to deflect the heavy rain that was showering from the angry sky.

We nearly slammed into the front door we were running so fast. The two of us couldn't stop from laughing. Robert pulled out the keys from his soaked black pants and jammed the key into the lock.

As soon as the door was opened, I dashed upstairs to his bedroom. I could hear Robert running up the steps behind me. "Don't get in my bed until you dry off!" he shouted up the stairs still laughing.

"No problem," I laughed as he closed the door behind him.

He immediately came to me, pressing his lips firmly on mine and slipping his tongue inside my mouth. His fingers unzipped the back of my dress. The wetness made it harder to get off so I had to help him. I was freezing in just my bra and underwear.

"Baby," I whispered as I unhooked my bra. "Hot. Shower." I removed the bra completely from my chest and dangled it to the floor. "Now."

I giggled to myself as I heard Robert cursing himself for not being able to get his pants off as quick as he wished. I turned the shower extremely hot until it steamed up the whole bathroom. On the fogged-up mirror, I wrote "E+R" with a heart around it and then entered the shower.

After a few minutes, Robert slid open the shower curtain and let himself in. "I liked the note on the mirror," he said as he bit my neck. .

* * *

"Wait for me in your room. I'll be right out," I told him. He kissed me one last time before he left, closing the door behind him.

I gazed down at my hand, focusing on my ring finger. The finger that held the promise of being with Robert forever. Forever.

I took a deep breath and looked at myself in the mirror. _This was real_, I told myself. I never imagined feeling like this. So happy and so incredibly in love.

I blow-dried my hair as quickly as possible, anxiously wanting to get back to Robert. When I walked back into his room, he was sitting at the piano playing a beautiful song. My heart melted. I just stood there staring at him.

He suddenly stopped playing and turned around to face me. "Em, come here." He rotated back around to start playing again. I stood behind him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "This is your song," he said as he continued to play.

"What?" I asked him to repeat what he just said, even though I heard him clearly.

"I wrote this after the first night I realized I loved you. It reminds me of you. Calm and soft. Patient."

I kissed the back of his shoulder and then sat down in the opposite direction he was sitting. I moved my hands up his thigh. He became tense and the music started getting faster. I scooted closer to him, my hand getting higher.

"Ok, ok," he gasped, abruptly ending my song. He picked me up and threw me on his bed. I laid innocently beneath him; he was propped up on his hands and knees staring at me. He growled. "Last time I write a song for you," he chuckled. I pulled the strapless sleeves of his wife beater down so he was closer to me.

"And why is that?" I asked guiltlessly.

He shook his head bashfully. "Forget it." His lips met mine in a passionate kiss that seemed endless. I sat up, removed his shirt, and forced him down on the bed, allowing me be on top.

"I can't believe I'm having sex in my parents' house," he exhaled, suddenly embarrassed.

I rained kissed along his happy trail and then slid my arms up his chest. "Better believe it," I whispered to him.


	42. Chapter 42

CHAPTER 42

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma left today. She'd only been gone a few hours and I was already deliberating excuses I could use to go see her. I was clinically depressed, I decided. I'd try that out on the director tomorrow.

I lay in bed, inhaling the sweet scent of Emma's perfume that still lingered on the pillow. Time seemed to pass so slowly as I impatiently waited for her to call to let me know she landed.

In the midst of all this thinking, I must have fallen asleep because I was awakened by a maddening knock at the door. I planned to just ignore it, but whoever it was was very persistent at getting in.

"Coming!" I yelled, scratching the back of my head as I walked to the door.

I cracked the door open. "Emma! Wha-What are you doing here?" I flung the door open and embraced her in a warm hug.

When I let go she remained still with a shy smile on her face. "I couldn't leave," she said bashfully, drooping her head. "It hurts too much."

I lifted her chin so I could kiss her lips. "Baby, come here." I pulled her in to another hug and kissed the top of her head.

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she sat down on the couch. "I'm such a fool," she said, disgusted with herself. "I am going to fail out of college because I can't be without you for another month. Just four weeks." She buried her face in her hands. "It's too long."

"Ok, first of all, I will not let you fail out of college." I took a seat next to her on the couch. "Secondly, I wouldn't be able to be without you for that long either. We're just going to have to come up with a compromise, ok?" I tilted her head so she was facing me. "We're going to get through this."

She nodded but remained silent.

"Do you have class tomorrow?" I asked, trying to find an immediate way to fix this.

"Yeah," she responded straightforwardly. "But I can ditch."

I chuckled and took her hands in mine. "All right. I'll allow you to ditch just for tomorrow, but no more after that, ok? You can come with me back to Italy tonight. I have filming tomorrow until noon then I can take you to the airport. You'll have to sleep on the plane since you won't be able to sleep before school on Wednesday though," I explained to her.

She cradled herself against me. "One more day with you isn't enough."

"Which is why I will fly out to California on breaks," I told her.

"I don't want you to waste your money just to come see me."

I smiled. "I don't consider that wasting."

She reached her hand to my cheek and gently kissed my lips. "I love you."

"Love you too. And if I could, I would lay here with you all day, but I have to clean up the house or my parents will never let us back," I joked, slapping her butt as I got up.

"I can help," Emma insisted. "Or if you're hungry, I can run to the store to get some things to make for dinner."

"That sounds great. There's some money in my wallet on the counter. Just take that."


	43. Chapter 43

CHAPTER 43

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma and I curled up by the fireplace and ate the delicious meal she cooked: raspberry vinaigrette chicken and rice pilaf.

"I picked a winner," I chuckled to myself.

"What?" Emma asked, looking up from her plate.

"I fell for a girl that can cook," I grinned and shoved another piece of chicken in my mouth.

She smiled, the same adorable smile she shown whenever I complimented her.

When I cleared my plate, Emma took my plate and started to get up. "Emma, stop. You don't need to start acting like my little maid. Yet," I joked.

She plopped back down on the floor next to me and handed me back my plate. I took my dish and hers and set it on the mantle next to us. Emma laid down on her back and I stretched out on my side facing her. I traced her hairline with my fingertips, framing her beautiful face. I don't know how I got so lucky with such an amazing girl.

Emma started giggling. "Stop staring at me! You're making me uncomfortable!"

"I can't help it," I confessed. "You're beauty is captivating."

She covered her face with her hands, embarrassed, and rolled over on her side, turning away from me.

I slouched down so I was even with her on the ground. I pulled her shoulder back around so she was turned towards me. My fingertips grazed her cheek and below to her chin. Her lips were pursed, displaying her sweet dimples. My lips met hers in a slow and sensual kiss. There was no need to rush.

Our lips separated at the rattling of the door. "Shiiiit!" I whispered laughing.

Emma sat up, terrified. "What is it? Who's here?"

The door opened and in stepped in my mum and dad. I stood up, flattened out the wrinkles of my pants, and reached for Emma's hand to pull her up. "Hi mum! Dad," I waved.

"Robert! What are you still doing here?" my mum cried, running up to hug me. "Who is this?" she looked at me and then Emma. "This must be Emma!" She took Emma's hand in hers. "Hi hunny."

"Hi Mrs. Pattinson," Emma said nervously.

"Clare," she smiled brightly. She looked down at Emma's hand and caught sight of the ring on her finger. "Robert!" she shouted. "You're getting married?! And you couldn't even tell your poor mother?!"

I chuckled loudly and pushed my hair back timidly. "Mum, no. We're not engaged. It's just a promise ring."

"Oh hunny," she beamed. "I'm so happy for you two!" She embraced Emma in a hug and then me. Emma was still incredibly uneasy. I felt horrible for putting her in this position without notice. "Richard, come here!" my mum waved my father over.

"Hello Robert. Emma." He nodded at us. "It's very nice to meet you," he grinned at Emma. "How the hell did you charm her, eh?" he whispered in my ear. "Don't let her go, son."

I smiled, laughing to myself. There's no way I'd ever let her go.


	44. Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

Robert's Point-of-View

"Baby, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot my parents were coming home tonight. You were supposed to be home, so it didn't even faze me. I'm so sorry," I apologized to Emma as soon as we were alone in my bedroom.

"It's fine," she smiled. "I'm glad I met your mom and dad. They are incredible people. Now I know where you get it from."

I wrapped my arms around her waist, squeezing her in a warm hug. "I love you," I said softly.

"I love you," she responded.

I stepped towards my bed, pushing her along with me.

Emma was laughing uncontrollably, squealing every time I tickled her waist. "Shh," I laughed quietly. "You don't want my parents to get suspicious." I moved her shirt up slightly and kissed her soft pale stomach. I moved my hands up her torso and kissed her neck. I silenced her laughter with a firm kiss on her lips, biting her lower lip before I pulled away. Her breathing was calmed and her laughing was completely halted. I felt my hand up her shirt.

"Robert!" Emma screamed. She clamped her hand over her mouth. "Your hands are freezing!" she whispered.

"Robert!" my mum called from downstairs. "We can hear you!"

Emma's face turned a rosy shade of red. I rolled on my back, placing my hands behind my head, and started cracking up. I couldn't help it.

"It's not funny!" Emma scolded me.

"It kind of is," I retaliated, still laughing.

"Your parents probably hate me now!" she said sadly.

"Why? Because you shrieked my name from my bedroom?" I chuckled. "Nah."

She hit my arm. "Robert! If you're trying to make me feel better it's not working!"

"Ok, I'm sorry," I apologized. "Let's go back downstairs before they get too suspicious," I smirked.

"We can't go down there!" she stood up from the bed. "They probably thought we were having sex up here or something! That's so embarrassing."

I sat on the edge of my bed, facing Emma. I wrapped my arms around her waist and put my hands in her back pockets. "What's so embarrassing about that?" I teased her.

"You're impossible!" she moaned.

"We should probably get going. We have a plane to catch," I told her, attempting to stand up.

"Not so fast," Emma grinned. She straddled her legs around me and grasped the hair behind my head, pressing her lips to mine. I moved my hands up her back and unhooked her bra. She pushed my shoulders back so I was lying flat on my back on my bed. I loved when she took control. Her lips lingered on mine for a long while. I was growing impatient. I unbuckled my pants and reached for her lips, but she got up off of me and strutted to the door. "Better get going," she smiled, tilting her head to the side.

"Are you serious?" I asked, not moving from my position on the bed.

"Two can play that game," she grinned, very please with herself. "We have a plane to catch," she reminded me.

I took a deep breath, zipped my pants back up, and got up off the bed, fixing it back up. "You are such a tease," I shook my head.

"I love you too babe," she reached up and quickly kissed my lips and then opened the door to go downstairs.


	45. Chapter 45

CHAPTER 45

Robert's Point-of-View

"You really are killing me," I told Emma as we walked down the stairs, still aggravated that she completely tantalized me out of good fun.

"You deserved it," she muttered as we entered the living room. The subject was dropped. She won this battle.

"Your dad is going to drive you two to the airport," my mum said. She squeezed me in tight for a hug. "I'll see you when you come back home after filming."

Fuc.k. Some things weren't meant to be said aloud – especially in front of Emma.

"Bye mum. I'll see you soon." I kissed her on the cheek and met my dad at the car with our suitcases.

"Bye Emma," I heard my mum tell Emma. "I look forward to seeing you again soon, dear."

"Of course," Emma responded and gave my her a hug. "Take care."

* * *

I knew the moment that Emma and I were alone she was going to hammer me with questions about what my mum said about me coming home to London after filming.

"Robert, what you mom said tonight. Is it true? Are you going back to England after you are done filming your movie?" she asked once we were seated in the plane getting ready for takeoff.

"Em, I'd really like to talk about this later."

"Why later? We have an hour or so to spare. We might as well talk about it now," she persisted.

I rested my head against the window. "I'm not going back to LA. I'm moving back to London with Tom."

"Oh," she muttered. She rested her head back against the seat, turning her entire body away from me.

"I told you I didn't want to talk about it," I told her, now frustrated that I made her upset.

The remainder of the plane ride was completely silent.

* * *

"Em, let me get that for you." I offered to take her bag.

"I got it," she snapped and continued to walk out in front of me.

I threw my bag over my shoulder and raced to catch up with her. She was already putting her suitcase in the back of the car.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled once we were seated next to each other in the car. It drove us straight to the hotel.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," she replied nonchalantly.

I knew this was a trick. Women and their crazy mind games. "But I do. I should have told you sooner."

She nodded. "Mhm."

"I had this planned since God knows when," I continued and she listened intently. I made sure to say everything right so I wouldn't get in even more trouble. "You know I'd never think of leaving you, right?" I glanced over at her unsettled face and wrapped my hand around hers.

"I know, it's fine," she answered quietly.

When we arrived back at the hotel, everyone was waiting by my door. "What is going on?" I asked, somewhat annoyed. The last thing I needed was everyone's input on our situation.

"Congratulations!" Ashley hugged me and then Emma.

Kellan grabbed me by the shoulder. "Congrats man!"

"Did I win the lottery or something?" I questioned, completely oblivious to why a congratulations were in order.

"No!" Kristen laughed. "You're getting married, you idiot!"

"Ha," Emma blurted from behind me. She took the key and went inside the room.

I caught the door before it closed.

"What's wrong with her?" Nikki asked.

"We're not engaged," I told them quietly so Emma couldn't hear. "Who came up with that rumor?"

Ashley shoved a magazine in my face. A picture of Emma and I in the park. I was on my knees putting a ring on her ring finger. It looked exactly like a proposal.

"Ashley you know those magazines are all bullshit. It's not true." I looked at Emma's face in the picture one last time before closing the door. I'd give anything to make her that happy again.


	46. Chapter 46

CHAPTER 46

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma was curled up on the couch when I entered the room. Her shiny blonde hair covered her face from view. I don't even think she noticed that I walked in.

"Em," I whispered, standing over her. I rubbed her leg, trying to get her attention.

She hid her face into the cushion of the couch.

I sat down on the couch by her feet, hunched over, my face buried in my hands. "Please talk to me Emma. I can't stand you being upset with me."

I heard her sniffle, the first sound she made since I came in the room. "Then don't do things that make me upset," she said into the cushion.

I chuckled quietly to myself. "I don't think the couch carries very good conversations, babe."

Without lifting her head from its position she swung her foot at me, kicking me in the butt.

"Hey!" I laughed. "Good thing I have some extra cushion back there," I rubbed by butt, easing the pain.

"More cushion for the pushin," she giggled, finally poking her head out from the couch.

I peered over at her smiling, trying to contain my laughter. "I believe that's referring to you Em, not me," I told her, slapping her butt.

She threw the pillow directly at my head.

"You're very violent tonight, babe. I kind of like it," I grinned at her, trying to make her smile.

"You're lucky my only weapon is a pillow," she said seriously. I now noticed the redness that surrounded her eyes from crying.

I scooted towards the back of the couch, propping her legs up onto my lap. I moved up her jeans and gently smoothed her soft legs with my fingertips. "We need to talk."

She nodded.

"I'm going to keep my apartment in LA, but I'm also going to have one in London with Tom. I hope you understand that Tom and I have been mates for a long time."

"I told you it's fine," she said softly. [i]Why do girls insist on always saying they are fine when they are obviously not?[/i]

"No, it's not. I want to be with you all the time. I go crazy when you're not around," I confessed. "I want to come home everyday [i]to you[/i]."

"I don't understand what you want, Robert. You say you want to be with me, but you say you can't leave Tom."

She was right. I couldn't have both. I needed to make a choice.

"What if you came to London with me? Like permanently," I suggested.

"And live with you and Tom? No thanks. Besides, I have one more year of school."

"Can't you go to school in England? There's plenty of great universities there," I tried to convince her.

"Robert, I've worked so hard all my life to get into UCLA. I'm not going to throw that all away. As much as I want to say yes, I can't. I would regret it."

I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try. "I'm just going to stay in LA," I told her. "I can fly out to London whenever I get homesick. I just need to be wherever you are," I decided.

Her face lit up. "I feel horrible for taking you away from London and your best friend, and your family. It's so selfish of me. Promise me you're not making a mistake by staying in LA."

"Being with you is the best decision I have ever made. I would never consider it a mistake." I played with the ring on her finger and then kissed it lightly with my lips.


	47. Chapter 47

CHAPTER 47

Robert's Point-of-View

Emma came to set with me today. That is, after she spent thirty minutes trying to persuade me to stay in bed. Filming started at six am this morning, so she didn't even need to do much convincing.

"All right, five more minutes," I told her, gently touching the side of her face with my fingertips. "But then we [i]have[/i] to get up." I kissed her on the lips as she closed her eyes.

"Emma, don't fall back asleep." I lightly tapped her bare shoulder. "Emma," I sung into her ear. She was completely out.

I got up out of bed and walked into the closet to put on some black pants and ____. "Seriously babe, you have to get up now. We're going to be late," I said as sincerely as possible. She remained still, breathing heavily in her sleep.

"Don't make me leave without you. You'll have to spend [i]all[/i] day here in the hotel alone [i]without me[/i]," I told her as I leaned over her. Still no reaction.

"All right, I'm leaving Emma." I unlatched the lock on the door. "Bye!"

"Wait!" Emma laughed, leaping out of bed.

I chuckled, knowing she heard me the whole time. "Good morning again."

She ran up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stared deeply into her eyes, smiling down at her. "You're beautiful."

She reached up and kissed my lips. "Give me two seconds to get dressed and brush my teeth."

"Please do," I teased.

"Ugh! Shut up Robert!" she yelled from the bathroom.

"I'm kidding babe," I told her.

Emma came out dressed in some old jeans and one of my t-shirts. "Nice shirt," I commented.

"It's my favorite shirt of yours," she said sweetly, hugging her arms tightly to her chest.

I smiled. "Take it home with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. It looks good on you," I told her.

"Thank you," she said. "You can have one of my shirts if you'd like," she joked.

"Actually, I was thinking that blue top of yours with the lace along the top would look great on me."

She hit me on the arm. "You're so dumb!" she laughed.

"Well thanks for rubbing that in Em. Now let's go. We're [i]really[/i] going to be late now."

She grabbed her sunglasses and phone off the counter before leaving the room. When we arrived on set everyone was standing around doing nothing. Kellan was already devouring whatever food was out. Kristen and Nikki were flirting with the Italian boy that was helping with the setup. And Ashley and Jackson were sitting and talking with each other as usual.

"Robert!" Chris shouted. "I give you the weekend off to be with your girlfriend and then you show up late your first day back. This is unacceptable. I will not tolerate this anymore," he said sternly, not realizing that Emma was right beside me.

I wrapped my arm around Emma's waist, pulling her in closer to me. Chris' face blushed a shade of red. "I'm sorry Chris it won't happen again. I promise." I held out my hand for him to shake.

"No problem, Rob. Just gotta be more timely, that's all."

I laughed. "Sure thing."

As soon as Chris left to gather everyone to start, Emma turned to me. "Sorry Rob, it's all my fault you're in trouble."

"I'm not in trouble," I laughed. "And I am as much to blame as you are."

"Come on Robert!" Chris called from the group.

"Time to go. You can sit out here and watch." I kissed her forehead and jogged over to them.

"Hey guys!" I greeted everyone.

After a few words from Chris, we started the scene. I was standing in a crowd of people. The bells were chiming and Kristen was running frantically, trying to find me. To stop me.

Every once and a while I tried to spot out Emma in the background. She seemed to be enjoying herself, hanging out with Kellan and Jackson. I refocused back to the scene. At the next cut, I looked over to find Emma again, but she was gone. She must have gone somewhere with Kellan and Jackson because they were nowhere to be found either. I was frustrated, maybe even a little jealous, that they got to spend more time with her today than I did. Only a few more hours and then I was done.

* * *

"How was your day? I hope it wasn't too boring," I said to Emma after she said her goodbyes to everyone. We were walking back up to the hotel to get her bags before going to the airport.

"It was fun. Kellan and Jackson taught me how to play softball," she smiled. "Kellan says I have a really good swing."

"I'm sorry I couldn't see that," I told her. "I'm sure you did great."

"Yeah. How was work? I watched for a while. It looked like you were having fun. You were smiling the whole time."

"That's because I was thinking about you."

She laughed. "Goof."

There wasn't much packing to do when we got back to the hotel room. Most of her things were already in her suitcase from before.

I had a driver pick us up and take us to the airport. We arrived just in time for her flight.

"Do you need me to come in with you to show you where to go?" I asked sincerely. I really just didn't want to leave her.

"I think I can find my way," she said sadly. Her eyes began to glisten with tears.

I really didn't want to see her cry again. I lifted the suitcase from the trunk and handed it to her. "I'll see you soon, ok?"

She nodded, bravely holding the tears back.

I lifted her chin to kiss her lips. "I love you."

She nodded again, unable to speak. "I love you too," she stammered and walked away.

Every time we say goodbye I wish we had one more kiss.


	48. Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

Robert's Point-of-View

I seriously contemplated turning the car around several times on the way back to the hotel.

[i]Maybe she'll come back. She did last time.[/i]

It was all wishful thinking. She was really gone this time.

Emma's Point-of-View

I officially hated long plane rides. There's nothing else to do besides think. For twelve agonizing hours.

[i]I wasn't going to see him for another month. Four weeks. Twenty-eight days. May 10th was way too far away.

Unless of course he visited on the time he had off, but the chances of that were slim now that Chris was upset with him. Plus the most time he'd get off is two days. Forty-eight hours. Minus twenty-eight hours of traveling. That's only twenty hours that we'd be together.[/i]

See what I mean? There was way too much time to overanalyze things.

When I finally landed it was ten o'clock in the morning in Los Angeles but I was exhausted. Jet lag had the best of me. Amanda picked me up from the airport. It was so good to see her. I had forgotten how much I missed her.

"You're back!" Amanda shouted excitedly, embracing me in a warm hug.

"I'm so happy to see you!" I hugged her back. "Did I miss anything?"

Amanda suddenly looked sad. "A lot, actually."

"Manda, what's wrong?" I asked sympathetically.

"I'll talk to you about it when we get home. I want to hear all about Italy! How was it?" she asked curiously, putting her car into drive. "Oh. My. God!" she shrieked, examining my hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

I laughed. "I really need to put this ring on another finger. I'm not engaged or married, I swear. It's a promise ring. Rob gave it to me in London over the weekend," I gushed.

"Wait, London? I thought you were in Italy?" she inquired.

"We were. Italy was amazing. He took me on a little motorcycle to the Trevi fountain and all around Rome. But then he surprised me and flew us to London. We stayed at his parents' house where he grew up. You'd love it there, Amanda, the city is absolutely amazing!"

"Tell me about the ring!" she said impatiently.

"Ok. So he took me to this really pretty restaurant for dinner and then we went for a walk afterwards in this park in the center of the city. It's pouring down rain and then next thing I know he's on one knee with a ring in his hand promising that he'll always love me and protect me."

Amanda squealed. "That is [i]the[i] cutest thing I have ever heard!"

All this talking about Robert really made me miss him. "I miss him," I said sadly, staring at the ring on my finger.

Amanda patted my shoulder as we walked up the stairs to our apartment. "He'll be back before you know it," she assured me.

I dumped all of my bags on my floor, not wanting to bother with unpacking just yet. I was way too tired and I needed to find out what was wrong with Amanda.

"Are you going to tell me what's up?" I asked her as I sat next to her on the couch.

She was fiddling nervously with her fingers. "Ethan and I broke up."

I was completely shocked. I never would have guessed that would happen. They were inseparable and so good together for almost a year. "Manda, I'm so sorry. What happened?"

She started to cry. "Nothing happened, Em. We just changed, that's all. It wasn't like it used to be. We're both really busy and don't have that much time to spend together," she explained.

I wrapped my arms around her, cradling her. "I'm so so sorry. It's going to be ok, though. Things will work out. Maybe you two just need a break," I assured her.

"No, Emma. It's over."

How could two people just change so quickly? They were madly in love. Spent every hour of every day together.

They were just like Robert and I. Or we were just like them. And now they were done. No more.

* * *

While Amanda took a nap, I made a trip to the grocery store. Stocked up on ice cream and popcorn, Amanda's two favorite foods. And when I arrived back home I baked a batch of funfetti cupcakes.

"It smells amazing in here!" Amanda said as she came out from our bedroom. "What are you baking?"

" I made some cupcakes. Here, have one!" I set a plate of cupcakes and a bowl of popcorn out on the coffee table. Amanda sat on the couch while I put in The Notebook to the DVD player.

I curled up next to Amanda on the couch, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

By the end of the movie, we were both in tears. Actually, it was more than that. We were hysterical.

"Why do we do this to ourselves?" Amanda asked me, wiping the tears that were falling down her cheeks.

I was laughing and crying at the same time. "This is what we do when we're depressed. We make ourselves more miserable."

"What kind of logic is that?" she laughed.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I love you Manda. Everything is going to be all right."

"I love you too, Em."

Once I regained my composure, I went outside to call Rob. I sat against the wall by our front door, my knees propped up ahead of me.

"You're safe. Good," he answered.

I laughed, some tears still trailing down my cheeks. "Yes, I'm safely back home. What are you doing?"

"Just doing some reading. How is it to be home again?"

"Well," I started. "Amanda and Ethan broke up so we have been eating comfort food and watching sappy love movies since I got back."

"Dam.n. I'm missing out. Sounds like tons of fun," he chuckled sarcastically.

"It's not funny, Robert," I said defensively. "They were in love and now it's all over."

He accommodated to my seriousness. "That's not going to happen to us, love."

"But what if it does? What if next time you have to leave for six months, eight, a year even. Then what?"

"Can we just take things as they come, Em. As of right now, I am finishing up this movie and then coming home to you. When and if something else comes up, we'll discuss it then," he proposed rationally.

"I guess you're right. I'm overreacted again. I'm sorry. It just scared me seeing how sad she was. I don't want to end up like that."

"As long as I have any say in it, you will [i]never[/i] have to worry about that. I love you Emma Westman."

"I love you too."

"Get some rest. I'll call you tomorrow."


	49. Chapter 49

CHAPTER 49

Emma's Point-of-View

A week had passed and I was back in my routine of things. I concentrated a lot on my schoolwork and started applying to public relations internships in Los Angeles for the summer. I had an interview for St. Jude's Entertainment in three days, which was my first choice because it concentrated on event planning.

Amanda was gradually getting better. It helped that I was home to talk to her when she needed someone to vent to, which I discovered was quite often. But it didn't bother me; if I were in her shoes she'd do the same for me. That's what best friends were for.

I still talked with Ethan. I didn't see any harm in doing so. I was friends with him before he met Amanda and it's not like he did anything to hurt her. It was a little uncomfortable at first, I hadn't hung out with him alone in a long time. He was doing a lot better than Amanda, or at least that's how he was coming off. He told me that he just needed to be out of a relationship right now because he wanted to be able to experience the last year of college fully and didn't need someone to hold him back. That was a little harsher than Amanda's explanation for their breakup, so I'm guessing he didn't tell her that. Maybe some run down version of it.

Tonight was Saturday night and I had made plans with Amanda and three other of our girlfriends to go out to dinner and clubbing afterwards. Amanda needed a night out to let loose and so did I.

"What are you wearing tonight?" I asked Amanda who was straightening her hair in the bathroom. She had naturally curly hair and she only straightened it on special occasions. I guess you could consider this her coming out party as a newly single girl.

She poked her head out from the bathroom. "Check the bag on my desk," she smiled.

I walked over to her desk and pulled out a black sequined dress. "Wow, this is adorable!" I told her, quite jealous of her brand new dress. "You are going to look so hott tonight."

"So are you! You're makeup looks amazing. I'm loving the smoky look. You should totally wear that gold and navy blue dress that you just got!" she exclaimed.

I pulled it out of my closet and held it against my body. "Exactly what I was thinking!"

Andrea, Kourtney, and Brooke met at our apartment around seven. Once we were all ready we took my car to the Geisha House in Hollywood.

"So how are you doing?" Kourtney asked Amanda once we all sat down at our booth.

"I'm doing great, actually. It's so nice to hang out with the girls again. I feel like I haven't seen you guys in years."

"Well it's been almost six months since we've done something like this," Brooke noted. "But, we're glad you're back. We've missed you!"

I smiled at Amanda. I'm glad she was happy again.

As soon as we were done ordering our food, my phone started vibrating in my clutch. I pulled it out. It was Robert. "Hold on guys, I have to take this," I beamed.

"Ooo. It's Robert isn't it?" Andrea laughed. The other girls mimicked her laughter as I excused myself from the table.

"Hi." I answered the phone, pressing one ear closed to block the sound of the restaurant.

"Hi Em. Where are you? I can barely hear anything," he stated.

"One second. I'm almost outside," I told him. I pushed open the door and walked out into the parking lot. "Ok. Can you hear me better now?"

"Much. Where are you at?" he inquired again.

"At the Geisha House with some of the girls. Amanda needed a night out," I explained.

"Oh. I'm sorry Emma. I didn't mean to interrupt. I just wanted to say goodnight and I love you."

"It's ok. I have been looking forward to your call all day," I smiled. "What are your plans for today?"

"Well I am still lying in bed, but once I get up I am going to take a nice [i]long[/i] shower and then I'm going to go shoot a short scene. And later tonight I think I'm going to go to a club with everyone. They are having an open mic night so I thought I'd drop in and do a few songs."

"I wish I could be there," I said. "I miss waking up to you playing the guitar. It's probably my favorite noise besides the sound of your voice."

Robert chuckled.

"Sorry. I went all cheeseball. The distance does that to me," I reasoned.

"It's ok, I think it's cute. Besides, your voice is my favorite thing to wake up to too." I could tell by his tone that he was smiling on the other side of the phone. "All right, well I won't keep you. Go have some fun!"

"Ok I'll try," I told him.

"Wait," he started again. "What are you wearing?"

I could just picture him lying in bed, grinning to himself. "Well I don't want to make you envious or anything, but I am wearing a new dress."

"Ooo a new dress. What's it like?" he questioned.

"It's a gold and navy blue striped t-shirt dress. Comes right below my butt, framing it very nicely, if I do say so myself. And the off-white heels make my legs look extra slim and long."

"Mmm. Ok that's enough teasing for one day," he said. "I'm sure you look gorgeous. You always do."

"Thanks babe. Have fun today, I'll talk to you tomorrow!"

"Bye Em. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye!" I hung up the phone as I entered the restaurant again. Our food was just arriving when I got back. Perfect timing.

"So how's Robert?" Andrea asked curiously.

"He's good. Just waking up," I smiled to the group of girls that were all staring at me intently. I think they were still in shock that I was dating Rob. I hadn't even mentioned it to them until recently because I didn't want them to flip out. "The food looks delicious," I changed the subject.

After we finished with dinner, we all walked a few blocks down Sunset to the club I took Robert that one night. I hadn't been there since. It wasn't very busy for a Saturday night; the dance floor was not nearly as packed as last time I was here.

Andrea and Brooke were both twenty-one so they bought drinks for Kourtney and Amanda. I, on the other hand, was the designated driver so I just sipped on coke the whole night.

Once the girls got a good buzz going, they pulled me out onto the dance floor with them. It was fun dancing with a group of girls until one by one they get picked up by random guys, leaving me all alone. [i]Did I have a nametag that told every attractive male in this place that I was unavailable?[/i]

I continued to dance a while longer, hoping Amanda would ditch the goofball she was dancing with, but no such luck. She must have been more drunk than I thought she was. That, or extremely desperate.

I started to head towards the bathroom to freshen up when a guy stopped me. "Want to dance?" he asked in a disguised British accent.

"Um, I don't know," I replied. "I'm trying to find my friends," I lied.

"Well at least let me buy you a drink," he offered.

"I'm not drinking tonight, but thank you."

"Well you're not any fun," he teased. "I thought American girls were supposed to be free-spirited and crazy."

"Sorry to disappoint," I apologized. The man was really attractive; different from any guy I have ever found good looking. He had brown longer hair and a beard to match.

"I'm Tom," he held out his hand for me to shake.

"Emma," I replied.

"Emma?" he repeated. "Shit."

"What?" I asked confused.

"Nothing. Just coincidence I suppose," he laughed.

"All right…" I said, not knowing how to respond.

"You don't happen to have a boyfriend, do you?" he asked.

"I do," I answered and then it finally all clicked. "Wait, are you Tom? Like Robert's Tom?"

"Guilty," he said, surrendering his hands.

"Did Rob send you to check on me or something?" I asked, now somewhat annoyed at the possibility.

"No, of course not. I'm just staying at his apartment for a few weeks. I'm planning his birthday party here in LA for when he gets back since [i]someone[/i] has whipped him into staying in LA instead of going home to London," he explained.

"Well I think [i]someone[/i] is just jealous that Rob chose me over him," I retaliated.

"Ouch," he laughed. "We'll see who he likes better after he sees how bloody insane his party is going to be."

"You're little party may be [i]bloody insane[/i], but nothing beats the after party," I smirked.


	50. Chapter 50

CHAPTER 50

Emma's Point-of-View

"So what exactly [i]are[/i] you planning for Rob's birthday?" I asked Tom once we sat down at the bar.

"Intimidated?" he questioned laughing.

"No," I answered grimly. "Just wondering, that's all."

"Uh huh," he scratched his chin. "What makes you think I'm going to release information to the enemy?"

"I'm the enemy?" I laughed. "You are taking this way too seriously Tom."

"Am I?" he inquired seriously. "I believe I am handling the situation very well."

"What situation?" I asked. He was very mysterious in his conversation; continuously alluding to matters I didn't know he was talking about.

"You took my best friend from me, Emma," he said my name coldly. "Now it's payback time."

"Are you being serious?" I was completely baffled by his strange behavior. I didn't even know him, except for the numerous, okay hundreds, of stories Rob told about the two of them. From what I could tell they were inseparable until Rob moved to Los Angeles for his acting career.

Tom's face remained blank.

"Hello?" I waited for his answer.

He started laughing. "Oh, man. He was right. You [i]do[/i] take everything seriously."

"Who is right? What are you talking about?" I practically shouted at him. He was so damn irritating.

"Rob. He told me that you always fall for everything he says. Even if it's all bullshit," he continued to laugh.

I got up from my stool, infuriated, and stormed off to find the girls. I was so ready to go home.

"Manda!" I yelled over the loud music. She was still dancing with the same creepy guy.

"What?" she mouthed back at me.

I pulled her away from the guy. "Give us two minutes," I told him, faking a smile.

"What is it?" Amanda asked, eager to get back with the guy.

"I want to go back home. Are you ready or should I come back to get you girls later?" I asked her.

"I'll get a cab with Max," she answered and then slowly began to walk away.

"You're going home with [i]him[/i]?" I asked her, trying not to sound too disgusted.

"He's coming home with me," she smiled.

"To our apartment?"

She nodded. "His roommate is home tonight. I hope you don't mind. Bye Em!" She danced her way back to Max, pulling him closer to her. [i]Gross[/i]

I saw Andrea, Kourtney, and Brooke on my way out. They were all taking a cab back to their apartment later that night.

As I walked back to my car, I dialed Rob's number. Not only was I scared to walk through Hollywood alone at night, but I also needed to talk to him.

"Hey baby," he answered sweetly. "Calling it a night?"

"Yeah," I replied. Two speeding cop cars sped by the empty streets, their sirens blaring.

"Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm walking back to my car," I told him.

"Are the girls with you?"

"No," I answered. "They are staying a little longer."

"You're walking alone?" he asked concerned.

"Yeah, but no one will bother me when I'm on the phone," I assured him.

"Emma, please don't do this to me. I can't just jump out of the phone and help you if you need it. You're smarter than that."

"I'm sorry," I sincerely apologized. "I just needed to go home. What else was I going to do?"

"Would it kill you to wait for your friends?"

"Possibly," I responded. "Tom is so obnoxious."

[i]Oops[/i].

"Tom? You're with Tom?" he questioned, completely taken back. "What is he doing there and how did you find him?"

No matter how annoying I thought Tom was, I didn't want to spoil Rob's birthday surprise. "Um. He found me, actually. He was at the club and we ran into each other. Extremely random."

"Huh, that doesn't seem right. Where is he staying?"

Cold dry hands covered my eyes from behind me. "Ha! I found you!" he yelled, laughing.

My first instinct was to scream, drop my phone, and start running. I stomped on the man's foot and sprinted away.

"Emma! Emma, wait! It's just me," he laughed, catching up to me.

"Tom? You are [i]the[/i] most irritating person I have ever met!"

He handed me my phone, which was in two pieces. So much for the protective case Rob had given me. "Sorry," he chuckled. "I didn't think you'd freak out that much."

"Ugh. Give me that." I grabbed the phone from his hand and tried to piece it back together.

"Here let me try," he reached for the phone in my hand, but I turned away. "I really am sorry."

"It's fine," I accepted his apology. I put the battery back in and turned the phone on. Thank goodness it was working. "I need to call Rob back. He's probably worried…"

Tom held up his phone. Rob was calling him. He answered.

Tom began laughing. "Rob, calm the fuck down. She's with me; she's fine."

Pause.

"You two are the most paranoid couple I've ever met," his laughing persisted.

Pause.

"He wants to talk to you." Tom handed the phone to me.

"Sorry about that," I told Rob, eyeing Tom who was walking right beside me.

"No, I'm sorry. He can be a real jackass sometimes. I about had a heart attack. I told you not to walk alone at night. Don't do it again, ok?"

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Yes, Rob. I promise," I responded.

"All right, good. Besides that, is everything else ok?" he asked.

I was a little uncomfortable speaking with Rob while Tom was quietly walking next to me, but I decided to tell him anyways. "Well, Amanda is bringing some low life back to our apartment tonight, so that should be interesting," I said sarcastically.

"Why don't you stay at my apartment tonight?" he suggested.

I wasn't sure how to answer. Did he know that Tom was staying there?

"Um, I don't know," I replied.

"I'd sleep better knowing you were ok. Besides, Tom will be there to keep you company."

I hesitated. "All right. I guess that would be ok. I'll figure something out."

"Ok, I have to go Em, but I will talk to you soon. I love you."

"I love you too Rob. Thank you." I hung up the phone and handed it back to Tom. "Thanks," I stated genuinely. "Looks like we're having a slumber party at Rob's apartment," I said nonchalantly as I got into my car. "Get in."


	51. Chapter 51

CHAPTER 51

Emma's Point-of-View

"Sleepover? Mm I like sleepovers," he grinned and got into the passenger's seat of my Infiniti FX50.

I glared at him as I put the car in reverse. "Shut up, Tom. And by the way, I call dibs on the bed."

"What! That's not fair!" he shouted.

"Yes, it is too fair," I told him. "I am the girl, so therefore I have priority on the sleeping arrangements."

"Fine," he caved. "Then I guess you will have to share it because I'm sleeping in the bed too."

"No!" I yelled. "The couch is just as comfortable. Plus then you can watch TV before you go to bed."

"If the couch is so comfortable, then why don't you sleep on it?"

I pulled my car next to Rob's Audi. "First one to the bed wins."

I jumped out of the car and sprinted up the staircase to Rob's door. Tom was right behind me with the keys in his hand. He shoved the key inside the lock, twisting the door open. He pushed his way in, but I snuck underneath him and raced to Rob's bedroom door. Tom leaped onto the bed right behind me, crushing me into the pillows that were tossed by the headboard.

"I win!" I shouted victoriously, out of breath.

"Tie!" Tom protested, laughing.

I sat up, brushed out my messy hair with my fingers and readjusted my top that had slipped sideways during the collision. "You wish! I was beneath you! How could it be a tie?"

"That's not the only time you can be beneath me," he said seductively.

I stared at him blankly, raising my eyebrows.

"Sorry, sorry. Enough with the inappropriate comments," he promised.

I chucked a pillow at his head and got up from the bed. I searched through what few clothes Rob had left in his dresser, pulling out a pair of grey boxers and a white t-shirt to put on.

"I guess I better get changed too," Tom said, stripping down to his boxers and ripping off his jacket and shirt. He stood before me in just his boxers and white longer socks that were scrunched at his ankles.

I cleared my throat and walked into the bathroom to change. When I came out, Tom was in the living room on the couch watching TV. I walked into the kitchen to get a glass of water and he turned back to look at me. "Hey," he said.

"Hi. Can I get you anything? Some water or a beer?" I asked him politely. I knew I didn't live in Rob's apartment, but I felt the need to be a good hostess.

"Water would be great."

I poured some water into a cup and brought it over to him.

"Thanks Emma," he said as I walked off towards the hallway. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," I called into the living room. When I returned I brought out two blankets and a pillow off of Rob's bed. "Here you go," I handed him the blankets and pillow.

"Oh, thank you," he stated surprised. "I could've gotten that stuff. You didn't need to bring it out to me."

"It's ok," I smiled and sat next to him on the couch. "What are you watching?"

"America's Next Top Model," he said, his eyes fixated on the screen.

I giggled. "Interesting."

"The girls are hott," he explained. "I'm not gay or anything, I swear."

"Right," I laughed. "So do you have a girlfriend back in London?" I asked him.

"Nope," he answered. "I like my freedom."

"Hey! Rob has freedom," I defended myself.

"Yeah, I know he does. That's because you are one of the few girls that aren't psychotic clinging magnets."

"Well that's a relief," I laughed.

"So if you have any friends," he began. "You know where to send them. I'll be here all month." I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but his tone was serious.

"All right. I will have them lined up at the door tomorrow morning."

"Perfect," he said as he yawned.

"I should go to bed," I told him. "We both need some rest." I got up from the couch and started walking down the hallway to Rob's room.

"It was nice meeting you Emma. Sleep well."

"Goodnight Tom." I closed the door behind me and crawled into Robert's bed. Even though it had been almost two months since he had slept in it, I could still smell his intoxicating scent lingering on the pillows and the sheets. This was going to be the best sleep I have had in a while.


	52. Chapter 52

CHAPTER 52

Emma's Point-of-View

The next week I found myself spending a lot of my time at Rob's apartment. It was a little saddening because I was constantly reminded of his absence, but Tom was great company. He shared countless memories of Rob when they were younger back in London. It seemed to me like they were quite the menaces, always causing problems.

"What are your plans for today?" I asked him casually. I figured we'd hang out since we had everyday since he arrived in LA.

"I'm going to meet one of my friends for lunch. She's going to help me plan Rob's party," he told me as he buttoned up his plaid long sleeve shirt.

"Oh," I said. [i]Why didn't he ask me to help him with Rob's party?[/i]. "Who are you going with?" I didn't care if I was being nosy; I was just curious.

"Camille," he answered as he checked himself out in the mirror, ruffling up his hair with his fingers.

"Camille?" I repeated. I remember Rob bringing her up once or twice in conversation before, but I never thought anything of it.

"Yes, Camille Belle. She and Rob are just good friends, Em. No need to worry."

"I wasn't worried," I kind of lied.

"I'll be back before you know it," he smiled and headed out the door, grabbing Rob's keys off the table.

"Bye!" I waved after he closed the door. [i]Well that's annoying.[/i]

I decided to go back to my apartment to see if Amanda wanted to grab some frozen yogurt at Pinkberry. I was craving it.

"Hey Manda," I walked in to the living room. She was on the couch reading from her chemistry book. "Want a study break?"

"Yes!" she slammed her book closed and hopped off the couch. "Where to?"

"Pinkberry?"

"Sounds perfect! Let me just grab my purse and then we can go. Do you want me to drive or do you want to?" she asked.

"I can drive," I told her as she darted in and out of our room with her purse.

"Ready!"

I got caught up on all the latest gossip with Amanda and Max. She confessed that he was merely a rebound and let him for good last night.

"How'd he handle that?" I asked as I dipped my spoon into my strawberry-covered yogurt.

"He was a little hurt, but I'm sure he expected it. I don't know what I was thinking, Em. He was not my type at all," she said.

Then a brilliant idea occurred to me. "Hey, why don't you come with me over to Rob's apartment today. There's someone I want you to meet," I smiled.

"Oh, Emma. Setting me up again? You know last time didn't work out so well."

"It did for a while," I told her. "Besides, this is by no means a setup. I just want you to hang out with us. He's really sweet. Plus, maybe he'll dish some of the secrets about Rob's party to you," I laughed.

"Oh!" she laughed. "So you're using me?"

"No!"

Amanda laughed and took another bite of her yogurt.

I sighed. "I hate surprises. And it's not even [i]my[/i] party. He is even having this other Camille girl help him plan it. He didn't even ask me and I'm Rob's girlfriend!"

"Camille Belle?" Amanda asked, shocked.

"Yeah, that's her. How do you know her?" I questioned.

"She's in that movie 10,000 B.C.," she answered.

"The girl who plays Evolet?"

Amanda nodded.

"Wow. Wasn't expecting that," I replied, disappointed.

"Em, please don't be the jealous girlfriend. Rob is with [i]you[/i]. And I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why Tom is not telling you about the party. Come on let's go over to his apartment. I'll try to talk to him about it," she laughed.

I smiled and gave Amanda a hug. "Thanks. You're the best best friend ever!"

"Yeah, yeah. He better be good looking," she giggled.

"Oh, he is. British accent and everything," I laughed.

When we got pack to Rob's apartment, Rob's car was back in its parking spot, which meant Tom was home. I opened the door to find Tom and Camille sitting on the couch each drinking a beer. They were facing each other and laughing at something. Camille cleared her throat and nodded towards the door where Amanda and I stood. He turned around. "Hey Emma! Come in."

[i]Since when did he invite me inside? It's not even his apartment.[/i]

I closed the door behind me and walked over to where they were sitting. "Hi," I smiled at Camille. "I'm Emma." I held out my hand for her to shake.

She put her beer down on the coffee table and stood up. She wiped her wet hand on her pants and then shook my hand. "Hi Emma. I've heard so much about you. I'm Camille." She walked over to Amanda. "Hi, I'm Camille."

"Amanda," she responded. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Oh, yeah. Tom. This is my best friend Amanda," I told him.

Tom stood up and embraced Amanda in a hug. "It's a pleasure Amanda."

Amanda blushed when he pulled away and sat back down on the couch. She shot me a glance, letting me know she was totally into Tom. I tried my best to hold back my laughter.

"So how is the planning coming along?" I asked Tom.

Camille answered excitedly. "It's going to be [i]the[/i] best party LA has ever seen! Robbie is going to be so impressed."

[i]Robbie?[/i]

"I'm sure he will be," I replied politely, eyeing Amanda.

"So what are the details?" Amanda asked. "I'm dying to know!" She sat down next to Tom on the couch.

Tom looked up at me and then back towards Amanda. "My lips are sealed." He zipped his lips shut and so did Camille.

I rolled my eyes and pulled my phone out of my purse. Rob was calling. "Hi," I answered, walking into the kitchen.

"Is that Robbie?" Camille called to me from the living room. I nodded and turned away from her.

"Who was that?" Rob asked.

"Camille. Tom brought her over to your apartment."

"Oh, really? Do you think I can talk with her?" he asked eagerly.

"Suuure." I walked back into the living room and handed the phone to Camille. "He wants to talk to you."

"Hi Rob!" she spoke into the phone.

Pause.

"I'm great! How are you? How's Italy?"

Pause.

"Yes, I did. She seems wonderful. I'm so happy for you."

Pause.

She laughed. "Ok. All right. Here she is." Camille handed the phone back to me. "Thanks, hun."

I took the phone into his bedroom. "Hi," I said again.

"Hey baby. I'm so glad you met Camille and Tom. Such a shame you get to hang out with them and I am stranded alone on the other side of the world."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," I said sadly into the phone.

"Two more weeks and I'll be home. Think you can wait?" he asked sweetly.

"No," I responded honestly. "But I will."

"Good. I promise it will be worth it," he said.

I was disappointed he never managed to take a trip to LA to visit me like he said he would. I should have known he only promised me that to make me feel better about leaving Italy.

Rob interrupted the silence. "You ok, Em? You're quiet today."

"It's been a tough day, but I'll be fine," I assured him.

"I'm sorry, love. Wish I could be there to cheer you up."

"Me too," I whispered into the phone.

"Hey, Em?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to put the phone down on the dresser, but just wait. Ok?"

"Ok," I said. I heard the phone hit the dresser and some rustling in the background. Then I heard the most beautiful sound. Robert was playing his guitar and humming along to it.

A small tear fell from each of my eyes. I wish Rob were here to wipe them away.

"Boo," he said into the phone as he picked it back up.

I laughed, disguising my tears. "I don't know what to say. If you were here I'd kiss you, but now I'm just wordless."

He chuckled.

"I love you so much," I told him. Even I could tell the change in my tone. It was amazing how he could affect my mood so much.

"I love you too, Emma. Call me before you go to bed?"

"Of course. I'll talk to you in a little bit."

"Bye love." He hung up the phone.

I fell back on the bed and took a deep breath. [i]Two more weeks.[/i]


	53. Chapter 53

CHAPTER 53

Emma's Point-of-View

Once it was exactly one week until Rob returned home, I began my countdown. I was so anxious and excited that each day seemed to drag on forever. I needed a distraction.

"Tom!" I shouted into the phone.

"What Emma?" he laughed.

"I [i]need[/i] you to let me help you setup his party! Please please pleaaaaase!" I begged.

Tom chuckled. "How many times do I have to tell you? I said no! Absolutely not."

"You are the worst best friend [i]ever[/i]!" I complained. "I'm coming over now. Let's go get some lunch."

"I can't," he said shortly. "Camille and I are working on the decorations here at the apartment. I don't want you to see so don't come over."

"Let me talk to Camille. Maybe [i]she[/i] will let me come help."

"Ha. Good luck." He handed the phone to Camille.

"What's up Emma?" she answered.

"I don't get why you get to help with everything and I don't!" I whined. "It's not fair."

"Sorry Em. That's just how it goes," she laughed. "I'll call you later tonight when we're done. We'll all go out and get some dinner."

"Fine. Bye Cam." I hung up the phone, more frustrated than before. Tom, Camille, Amanda, and I had become really close this last week. After I let my guard down and got to know Camille, I discovered that she was one of the sweetest girls I have ever met. No wonder Tom and Rob liked her so much.

Amanda snuck out of our bedroom and walked passed me in the living room. She had a big brown bag in her hand. "Where are you going?" I asked her suspiciously, raising my eyebrows.

"Uh. Out?" she questioned herself.

"Amanda…" I stared at her blankly.

She shrugged. "I'm going over to Tom's."

"You mean Rob's?" I corrected her.

"Uh, yeah. I'll be back in a few hours," she told me as she left the apartment.

[i]What the fuc.k?[/i]

I decided to go for a drive to pass the time. I had no idea where I was going to go, but I needed to go somewhere. On my way out to my car, I checked the mail, pulling out the cable bill, the electric bill, junk mail, and a letter addressed to Miss Emma Westman.

Once I sat down inside my car, I ripped the letter open. There were two pages folded in thirds, hand-written in Rob's handwriting.

[i]It was a love letter.[/i]

[i]My beautiful Emma,

I am sitting here in my hotel room staring out into the star-studded night and all I can do is think about how much I wish you were here with me right now.

I keep telling myself that I will be with you soon enough. I will be able to hold you in my arms and kiss your soft pink lips if I just wait one more week. One week and you will be all mine.

I know I promised that I would come back to LA to be with you whenever I had the chance. I swear to you that is the last promise I will ever break. Unfortunately, Tom has prohibited me from coming due to some ridiculous scheme of his. (Please tell me you are controlling him. I don't want to come home to a whorehouse of an apartment.)

Anyways, that is not the reason I am writing you. I want to tell you how special you are to me. You are my life, Emma Westman.

I love you more than you know. I love that you get a little crinkle in your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that your cheeks turn a light shade red whenever I compliment you. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. I love how good you look in my shirt. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.

You are my everything. I will see you soon my love.

-R[/i]


	54. Chapter 54

CHAPTER 54

Emma's Point-of-View

I couldn't sleep at all last night. It was like trying to fall asleep on Christmas Eve when I was younger. I would lie awake, too excited for what morning would bring. Tomorrow was bringing the love of my life back to me. I couldn't wipe the grin from my face.

It finally reached eight-o-clock. Rob should be landing any minute. I jumped out of bed, wired off of the pure thrill of seeing him. I carried my phone with my to the bathroom, expecting his call, and brushed my teeth.

As expected, my phone vibrated on the bathroom countertop. I spit the minty toothpaste into the sink and answered the phone. "Hi!"

"Good morning. You sound awake," Rob laughed.

"I couldn't sleep," I confessed. "Should I come pick you up now?" I asked excitedly.

"Actually," he stated slowly. "I am not in LA quite yet. I had to make a pit stop for a couple days. I'll be back on the 13th."

"What?" I asked, completely heartbroken.

"I'm sorry, Em. There is a press conference in San Francisco that I have to attend. Two more days, love."

"You so better have brought me back a dam.n good souvenir from Italy, Rob. I am dying over here!"

"I am too, trust me." His voice was sullen. "I want to be with you more than anything right now."

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes, it's all fine. I just wish I could see you today. I have to go baby, I'll call you when I get a chance." He hung up the phone.

Well, this day was going to suck. I could already tell. Absolutely no sleep and no Rob.

TWO DAYS LATER

"Guess what!" Rob spoke into the phone.

"What?" I asked with a huge smile on my face.

"Come to your front door," he said. "Hurry!"

I chucked my phone on my bed and bolted to the front door and swung it open. I was nearly in tears I was so happy to see him. I jumped in his arms, not even noticing the bouquet of flowers he held in his hand. "I missed you so…"

"Mm no, don't talk," he silenced me with his lips on mine. He carried me, one arm under my bum, one holding the flowers, through the door, closing it with his foot. He set the bouquet down on the dining room table and set me down on the kitchen counter, kissing me earnestly. I pulled his jacket off and let it fall to the floor behind him. He removed his hands from my hips and used them to yank his shirt off. I felt my hands up his chest and down his arms.

"Have you been working out?" I asked.

"Mhmm," he murmured, kissing my neck.

I hopped down from the counter and pulled his arm towards my bedroom. To my surprise, he stopped in the middle of the living room, sighing. "Not now, babe. I actually have to take you somewhere."

"Now who's the tease," I laughed, staring at him breathlessly. His black pants were low on his waist. He looked so dam.n sexy.

He picked his shirt off the ground and put it back on over his head. "Sorry," he laughed quietly. "Can I please take you someplace?"

"Wait!" I completely forgot. I was too immersed in the moment. "Happy Birthday!" I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Would you like your present now or at your party in a few hours?"

"The party is fine," he smiled, his lips pursed.

He intertwined his fingers with mine and led me out the door. "Where are we going?"

"Emma, you know me well enough by now…"

"That you're not going to tell me," I laughed. "Blah blah blah. All right, I'll be quiet."

He pulled up to a restaurant that I easily recognized. It was Il Sole. The first place we met.

"Shouldn't I be the one to take you out to dinner? It's your birthday," I asked him.

"I thought you were going to be quiet?" he laughed jokingly.

I sighed and got out of the car as the valet held the door open for me. "Thank you," I told him.

Rob held the door of the restaurant open for me as I stepped inside. "Two for Pattinson," he said to the hostess.

"Hello, Mr. Pattinson. It's nice to see you again. It will be right this way."

Rob held the small of my back as we followed the hostess to our table. It was in the back corner, completely separated from the rest of the restaurant.

"This brings back memories," I smiled brightly.

He nodded, grinning. "You are stunning. My memory does not do you justice."

I blushed and turned even brighter red as I remembered that Rob notices how red I get when he flatters me.

His smile grew across his face and he shook his head, looking down at the table, laughing.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing. You're just adorable, that's all," he continued to laugh.

I smacked his hand. "Ok, you can stop with the sweet talk. I know you think it's funny!" I started laughing myself.

We lost track of time. If I had a choice, I'd ditch the party and just sit here and talk with him all night. Rob pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. "We better get going. Don't want to keep the birthday boy away from his party for too long," he smiled. He thanked the waitress and took my hand in mine as he led me out the door.

As I stepped outside, my heart stopped. Countless white candles were lining the sidewalk and red rose petals were scattered throughout. I couldn't move, I felt like my feet were plastered to the ground.

"Come here," Rob tugged me. His smile was glowing.

I inched forward towards him.

"A little further," he laughed. I took a couple steps closer to him. "All right, that looks about right."

Robert took a deep breath. "Emma," he spoke my name.

I nodded my head timidly, not knowing what to expect.

He nodded his head towards the street behind me. There was a motorcycle, just like the one that we had ridden on in Italy. "What's this?"

"Our transportation for the evening. I want to ride to my party in style," he laughed.

"How do you know where your party is and I don't even know?"

"Shh," he smiled. "It doesn't matter. Put this on," he handed me a helmet as he placed his over his head.

There was a small black box inside the helmet. I looked at Rob, utterly confused.

"Huh, how did that get there?" he laughed, pulling the box out of the helmet. "Here, put that helmet on, babe. Safety first."

"Robert..."

His crooked smile was captivating. "What?" he asked, looking at the box. He opened it up, peering inside. "Oh right. Emma do you know where we are?"

"At Il Sole?" I answered the obvious question.

"Yes, but this is the exact spot I first met you. Remember?" he asked me.

I looked back towards the door of the restaurant. The memory of me standing outside all alone and catching the glimpse of Robert coming out the door all came back to me. It seemed so long ago.

I nodded. "I remember."

Robert knelt down on one knee.

My legs began to shake; my knees giving in.

"These past three months that I have been away have shown me that I can't live, breathe even, without you. You already know that I love you more and more with everyday that I spend with you. But knowing that you are mine forever, will make me the happiest man in the world." He took a deep breath and looked deep into my watering eyes. "Emma Westman, will you marry me?"


	55. Chapter 55

CHAPTER 55

Emma's Point-of-View

"Yes!" I answered. "Yes yes yes," I said quietly.

Rob slipped the beautiful diamond ring on my finger; right above the promise band he had given me just a month ago. He stood up and placed his hands on my arms, trying to hold them still.

"Why are you so nervous," he laughed. He tilted my chin up and kissed my lips. "It's just me."

"I'm not nervous. I just…I didn't expect any of this."

"That's the point," he smiled. "Who likes being predictable?"

I shook my head, not knowing what to say.

"Come on, babe, let's go back home and get ready for [i]our[/i] big night."

I looked at him questionably, but didn't even bother asking him what he was talking about. I knew he wouldn't tell me.

We arrived back at his apartment and Robert flicked on the lights. I hadn't been around in the last few days, but I was surprised by how clean it was.

"In here," Robert called from his bedroom.

I walked down the hallway to his room. He was already changed in a black tux and bow tie. "I didn't know this was a black tie affair," I said, looking in from the doorway.

"Look in the closet, Em."

I moved towards the closet and opened the door. Inside was a gorgeous Betsey Johnson teal dress (.?categoryid=1101&productid=6515&np=1101) and black pumps. There was a note attached the hangar. "Thought this dress would look amazing on you! Congratulations on your engagement best friend! I love you so much! – Amanda.

I excitedly yanked the dress off the hangar and stripped my clothes off.

"Geez," Robert laughed. "Who knew buying a girl a new dress would get her clothes off that quickly. I'll keep that in mind."

I ignored him and stepped into the dress. "Zip me!" I told him. He pulled the zipper up along my back. I slid the heels on and stood next to Rob, looking in the mirror. "I think we might just me the hottest couple in LA," I laughed.

Rob turned me so I was facing him. "Thank you for giving me the best birthday present I could ever receive."

"I haven't even given you your present yet."

"All I wanted was you to accept my hand in marriage," he said seriously.

I leaned up and kissed him on the lips. "I don't know how I am going to ride on a motorcycle in this dress," I told him, looking down at how short it was.

"It's ok," he smiled. "We have a car picking us up. That was just a little something I picked up in San Francisco."

"You drove that thing all the way from San Francisco? And you're still alive?" I teased him.

"Not a scratch!" he chuckled. "Now, let's go. I only have four more hours as the birthday boy."

We arrived at a hotel in a black limo about fifteen minutes later. Tom and Camille weren't kidding when they said this was going to be the biggest party Hollywood would see this year. There were skylights, valet, and red carpet. The whole shebang. "You're friends really went all out, didn't they?"

Rob smiled and led me through the hotel lobby. The music that was blaring was suddenly quieted. I followed Robert further into the room. Tom was up on a stage. A huge mural of Rob and I was behind him, painted like Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe painting. It was incredible, but confused me. I turned to look around the huge lobby. There must have been a hundred people there. A DJ was up on the stage above the dance floor. A bar was in the far back corner and a huge blank wall was to the left of us.

Amanda popped up out of nowhere and snapped a picture of Rob and I. She pulled out the polaroid and pinned it on the blank wall. "I knew that dress would look amazing on you!" she smiled and then wrapped me in a huge hug. "I love you!" Then she gave Robert a hug. "Happy birthday Rob!"

"Thank you Amanda," he replied as she ran off to take more pictures.

Tom tapped on the microphone on the stage. "Test. Test."

Robert laughed.

"Hey everyone! The guests of honor have arrived!" He pointed in our direction.

Everyone clapped. Robert rubbed the back of his neck, uncomfortable by all the attention. He wasn't the only one.

"Happy birthday mate! And congratulations to you two. Emma, you will make a beautiful bride."

I blushed and Robert squeezed my hand. "Come on, I see someone."

He led me through the crowd to the bar. When I emerged from out of the mass of people, I saw my parents and my sister. "Mom! Daddy! Holly!" I looked up at Robert, who smiled back down at me, nudging me to go talk to them. I ran up to them and gave them all hugs. Robert stood behind me as they congratulated me. I hadn't seen them in almost seven months. I had been so busy with school and Robert; I never had a chance to make it home.

"Wait," I turned back to Robert. "You said you were in San Francisco…"

"He was staying with us sweetie," my mom brushed my cheek.

"I wanted to ask your dad permission to marry you before I proposed," Robert said softly.

"Good man," my dad patted Robert on the shoulder.

"I'm so glad you guys are here!" I told my family. "This is the best night of my life."

"Mine too," Robert smiled to me.


	56. Chapter 56

CHAPTER 56

Emma's Point-of-View

Robert took me around the entire venue, introducing me to all of his friends.

"Kurt, this is my fiancé Emma," he told an older gentleman that was sitting at the bar.

Kurt smiled and kissed my cheek. "She's even more beautiful than you described, Rob. It's so nice to finally meet you."

"Kurt is an old family friend," Rob said to me.

"Oh, it's very nice to meet you," I replied smiling.

After I met everyone, Rob and I sat at a table with Amanda, Tom, and Camille. Next to us was a table for both of our parents and sisters.

"Why isn't your sister sitting over here with us?" Tom asked me discreetly.

"Tom!" I gasped. "She's seventeen years old!"

"So," he laughed.

Rob rolled his eyes. "Cut it out Tom."

Tom surrendered and leaned back in his seat, admiring the successful party he had thrown.

Rob nudged me and gestured towards our families' table. "They seem to be getting along," he smiled. Our parents were in the middle of a deep conversation and our sisters were all talking and giggling.

I turned towards Rob, gazing up in his beautiful blue-grey eyes. "I can't believe you asked my dad permission to marry me."

"Well, I wouldn't have proposed without his blessing. Your family is wonderful, Emma. Your mom reminds me so much of you, very sweet and caring. And your dad is a crackup; he's hilarious! Your sister looks up to you, you know. She misses you a lot."

I don't know why hearing him talk about my family made me so happy. It felt like we were finally completely whole. Everything was in place just as it was supposed to be.

Kristen, Nikki, Ashley, Jackson, and Kellan all came up to the table. Ashley was the first to speak. "Congratulations!" she said joyously.

I stood up and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much," I squeezed her tightly. "I'm so happy you're here!"

"I wouldn't miss the big party!" she smiled.

I continued my way to everyone.

"Rob's a lucky man," Kellan grinned, showing his adorable dimples. "You look gorgeous Emma."

"Thank you!" I beamed.

Nikki was last. "Congrats, hun," she half-smiled, touching my shoulder as she passed by me.

"Nikki, wait," I called. She turned back around to face me. "Thank you," I said softly smiling. "That means a lot." She grinned and nodded before walking towards her table.

"Wow, no cat fight. I have to say, I am a little disappointed," Robert chuckled as I sat back down.

Before I could respond, Tom was announcing something over the microphone.

"Oh boy," Rob put his hand on his forehead. "This can't be good."

Everyone's eyes focused on Tom, who was slightly tipsy, on the edge of the stage. I could hear Kellan and Jackson laughing about how they hoped he would fall. "It is now time for the newly engaged couple to have their dance!" he shouted into the microphone.

"I knew it," Rob sighed as he stood up and held his hand out for me, lifting me up to my feet. He led me out to the middle of the dance floor, put one hand on the small of my back, and one remained wrapped around my hand. Keith Urban's song, "Your Everything," began to play.

We swayed side-to-side along to the music. It felt like it was just Rob and I; no one else. I placed my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulders. He whispered in my ear the lyrics to the song:

[i]When you wake up, I'll be the first thing you see

And when it gets dark you can reach out to me

I'll cherish your words and I'll finish your thoughts

And I'll be your compass baby, when you get lost[/i]

I didn't even realize the song was over until everyone began to clap and cheer. Rob smiled at me and leaned down to kiss me. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I told him.

CHAPTER 56

Emma's Point-of-View

"So," I said as we walked back to the table, both blushing as everyone was watching us. "The after party sounds [i]pretty[/i] good right about now."

Robert sat down, but couldn't hide his exuberant smile. "What does this after party entail?" he said softly into my ear. His warm breath lingered on my skin, sending a chill down my body.

"Things we should not discuss at the dinner table," I smiled, rubbing my hand down his thigh.

Robert hardened up. He cleared his throat and looked towards Tom. "Mind if I head out?"

Tom looked over at me, laughing. He knew exactly what was going on. "No problem. I'll stay over at Amanda's tonight. If that's all right with you?" he turned to Amanda, who nodded exuberantly.

"Thanks mate," Rob gave Tom a quick hug. "It was a great party. You should consider being a party planner," he laughed.

Rob walked me over to our parents' table. He was nervously, "Hello."

"Hi Robert," his mother greeted him. "Are you two leaving?"

"Yes, I'm exhausted," he faked a yawn.

Lizzy and Victoria erupted into laughter. "Uh-huh," they said in unison.

Robert eyed his two older sisters and they became quiet. "Goodnight, Mum, I'll see you tomorrow at brunch," he said kissing her on the cheek. "Goodnight dad, Laura, Mike, girls."

"Goodnight everyone. Thank you so much for coming," I went around the table giving everyone a hug. I hugged my sister the longest, remembering what Robert had said. "I love you, Holly. Tomorrow do you want to do something together?"

"Yeah, of course!" she answered excitedly.

"Ok, I'll call you tomorrow."

The car was waiting for us outside the venue when we left and it took us straight back to Rob's apartment.

"Home sweet home," he said, pulling off his black jacket and removing his bowtie.

"Not so fast," I laughed. "Presents first."

Robert's hands latched onto my hips. "I thought you were my present," he smirked.

"Well, I save the best present for last," I told him, unraveling myself from his grip. I went into the bedroom and brought out a gift-wrapped box and two envelops.

Robert sat down on the couch and unbuttoned his shirt partly, exposing a hint of his chest hair.

"Ok, so you know I am a poor college student, so I didn't get you anything extravagant, but here you go," I handed him one of the envelops and the box. He tore open the envelope and pulled out the handmade card I made him. After he finished reading it, he smiled and kissed my forehead. "Thank you." He ripped the wrapping paper off and looked at the box, confused.

"It's a webcam," I laughed, rotating the box to the side with the picture on it.

"Like a video camera?" he asked, still perplexed. "For tonight?" he smiled.

"No!" I laughed. "It's so if you ever have to go away again, we can still talk and see each other."

He kissed the side of my face. "That's perfect, love. Thank you."

"There's one more little thing," I handed him the second envelope.

"Hmm, what could it be," he said, shaking it. He slid his finger across the backside and pulled out two tickets and read them. "Are you serious?" he stood up, grinning.

I nodded.

He picked me up from the couch, holding me at eye-level. "You are the best! Kings of Leon! This is brilliant!"

"Well, I'm glad you like it," I smiled.

"Of course I do!" he kissed my lips passionately. "Now for that third gift," he grinned.


	57. Chapter 57

CHAPTER 57

Robert's Point-of-View

"Come take a seat," Emma tugged me over to one of the dining room chairs that she pulled over into the living room.

I hesitated, but obeyed.

"Now close your eyes and stay here," she smiled. "Do not make me tie you up."

I closed my eyes, admittedly peeking a few times, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Emma," I called.

"All right. Are your eyes closed?" she asked, yelling from what seemed like the bedroom.

"Yes," I smiled as I sensed her nearing me.

"I forgot to give you your birthday cake," she said out of nowhere.

"I don't want that now," I laughed. "Where are you?"

"At least try it," she said. "Here, open your mouth." She slipped her frosting covered fingertip into my mouth and I sucked it off.

"Yummy."

"Happy birthday to you," she began singing softly, angelically. "Happy birthday to you." My eyes opened wide when I felt her on me, sitting sideways on my lap. She was in a black-laced bra and matching boy shorts. Her body leaned back, her hair touching the floor. When she came back up, she whispered into my ear. "Happy birthday dear Robert." Her right leg swung over the top of my head so she was now straddling me. "Happy birthday to you," her words lingered on my lips.

Emma's fingers moved down my torso, unbuttoning my shirt.

I picked her up, slinging her over my shoulders. "Come with me, you're all mine now!"

Emma squealed, laughing as I carried her down the hallway to the bedroom. "Put me down!"

I threw her on the bed and climbed up over her. Her hands were resting on her chest and I couldn't help but smile seeing that ring on her finger. She unbuckled her bra behind her back and tossed it off the side of the bed. I moved my lips to hers, kissing her with more passion and intensity than I ever have. I kissed her neck, down to her collarbone. Her breath became uneven as she pleaded with me. "Please Rob, [i]now[/i]!"

I couldn't help but laugh, but continued to work my way down her body. My hands skimmed down her breasts. I kissed her stomach and below her belly button. Then, I gently slid her boy shorts down her long smooth legs.

I pushed myself into her, hearing her moan, as I continued to kiss her

I lied down in the bed; face up, trying to catch my breath. That had to have been the best sex I had ever had. I can't believe I was missing out on that for nearly three months.

Emma was lying breathless beside me. "That was incredible," she gasped and rolled over on top of me. "Let's do it again," she grinned suggestively.

* * *

Emma's Point-of-View

I woke up this morning to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. I was completely exhausted from last night. I could barely even move.

I managed to get out of bed, wrapping myself up in the red blanket Rob kept on his bed. I creaked the bathroom door open.

"Who is that?" Rob asked from the shower.

I pulled back the shower curtain. "Who were you expecting?" I laughed.

"I was hoping it was you," he smiled and moved over so I could get in.


	58. Chapter 58

CHAPTER 58

Emma's Point-of-View

"We're meeting everyone at the hotel at eleven," Rob told me as he slipped his jeans on over his boxers.

I was in the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around my body, blow-drying my hair. "Ok," I yelled over the loud noise of the blow dryer.

When we arrived at the hotel, our families were already seated at a table outside on the patio. It was a beautiful day – there was no wind and the sun was out. I had a feeling today was going to be a great day.

"Hello," Robert greeted everyone as he pulled out the chair for me. I sat down and said hi to everyone.

"How was the rest of your night?" my mom asked us.

Out of the corner of my eye I could tell Rob was trying very hard not to laugh. "It was great," I told my mom, not relaying any information.

Rob nodded in agreement. "Was your stay at the hotel all right?" Robert asked each of our parents. It sounded almost like he had paid for everyone to be here.

"It was very nice, thank you Robert. More than enough," my mom answered.

"Nothing but the best for my future in-laws," he laughed.

I hit Rob's thigh. "Suck up," I whispered to him, keeping the smile on my face.

Holly was sitting next to me. She was being awfully quiet. "What did you want to do today?" I asked her and then bit into the wheat toast.

"Anything. I don't care," she said.

"Ok, I have an idea of somewhere I want to show you," I told her.

After brunch, we all departed – our families back to their rooms and us back to Rob's apartment.

"I'm going to do something with my sister today, is that ok?" I asked Robert as I put my purse down on the counter.

"Yeah," he replied as he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. "I think I'm going to meet up with Tom later."

I met Rob in the bathroom and brushed my teeth right next to him, looking in the mirror at both of our reflections. He smiled brightly as he caught me looking. He spit out into the sink and rinsed his mouth. "This is what it's going to be like," he grinned.

"What?" I asked him, my mouth still full of minty foam.

He chuckled. "Married life."

I blushed and nodded. "I still can't believe it. [i]I'm[/i] getting married."

"[i]We[/i]," Rob corrected.

I wiped my clean mouth on the towel hanging behind me on the rack. Rob wrapped his hands around my waist and kissed my lips. "Move in with me."

I opened my eyes, startled at his proposition.

"It makes sense," he justified himself.

I walked passed him out of the bathroom into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. Robert followed and stood a few feet in front of me. "I don't know," I said quietly. "I mean, I have my own apartment with Amanda. Who would she live with?"

"She can find another roommate, Em. There are tons of people that would love to live in your apartment."

"That just seems selfish of me – leaving her and making her live with some random person. What if she ends up being some psychopath freak or something?" I explained.

"Fine. Whatever, Emma. It was just an idea," Rob said, now annoyed. He changed into a grey fitted shirt and a blue plaid short sleeve t-shirt. "I'll be out with Tom. Maybe I'll see you when I get back."


	59. Chapter 59

CHAPTER 59

Emma's Point-of-View

I tried to forget about Robert's temper tantrum. He can't always get what he wants. I agreed to marry him, but was not expecting him to move so fast. I figured we would wait until I had graduated college next year to even begin planning the wedding.

I wasn't going to worry about any of that today, though. This afternoon was all about Holly. I hadn't talked to her in nearly six months, except for the quick "hello, what are you doing?" when she answered the phone when I called home and then handed it off to my mom or dad.

I called Holly's cell phone when I was outside the hotel. "Hey, I'm here," I told her.

"Ok! I'll be right down," she replied and hung up the phone. A few minutes later she was walking out of the sliding glass doors of the hotel lobby and climbing into the passenger's seat of my car.

"Hey!" I greeted her as she put her seatbelt on.

"Hi," she smiled. "I can't remember the last time we hung out just the two of us."

"I know," I agreed. "Ever since I have been in college I feel like we've barely seen each other."

"Yeah," she said. "I'm glad we're doing this."

"Me too."

About twenty minutes later we arrived at our destination. I parked the car in a parking structure off the side of 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. This was my favorite place to go to get away from all the stresses in my life. Before I met Rob, I'd come here and just walk the promenade, window shopping and people watching.

"I'm so jealous you live so close to the beach and the city," Holly exclaimed when we got out of the car. "I wish I got into UCLA so I could go to school with you."

"You are only going to be two hours away in San Diego. You can visit whenever you want and I'll come down to see you too," I assured her.

"That's what you said when you went away to college," she said sadly. "But you never come home anymore. I miss you."

I couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. She was right. I did tell both her and my parents that I would come home at least once a month, but after meeting Robert I never wanted to go home. All I wanted and needed was in Los Angeles with him. "I'm sorry," I apologized sincerely.

"It's ok. If I was wit Robert…or Tom, I wouldn't want to come back either," she laughed.

"Tom?" I asked. "What about him?"

She laughed. "Nothing."

"He's too old for you, Holly. Besides I think he's into Amanda," I told her. I hated sounding like her mother, but I needed to protect her.

"That's not what he said last night," she muttered to herself.

"What?"

"It's nothing. I just hung out with him after the party last night. That's all," she explained.

"How? That's not possible. He spent the night with Amanda at my apartment," I responded matter-of-factly.

"No," she retorted. "He had a hotel room right a few doors down from ours."

"How do you know all of this?" I asked her curiously. [i]Why hadn't he gone home with Amanda?[/i]

"I hung out with him for a while," she said. "After mom and dad went to sleep I snuck out to his room."

I was completely appalled. "Holly!" I gasped. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I wanted to hang out with Tom," she told me, smiling.

"He is like six years older than you, Hol!"

"Age is just a number, Emma," she told me as we looked through the racks at Urban Outfitters.

"That's practically illegal," I replied.

"Hanging out with someone that is older than me is not illegal." She paused as she held up a lacy turquoise bra to her chest in the mirror. "But what we did last night was," she laughed.

"Excuse me?" I shouted, but then caught myself. "Do not tell me you…" I said quietly, but with anger in my voice.

Holly interrupted me. "Ok, fine. I won't tell you."

The rest of the afternoon was a lot less enjoyable than I had planned. I wanted to be able to have sister bonding, but all I could think about were Tom and her doing it. [i]She was seventeen, for God's sake. Next time I saw Tom he was getting a major talking to.[/i]

After silently shopping for a while longer, we took a walk on the boardwalk by the beach. She was used to living by the beach and being able to go there whenever I wanted, but Holly rarely got to see it.

We sat down on the warm sand. "I'm sorry I overreacted earlier," I told her. "You're old enough to make your own decisions." I didn't look at her, but kept my focus on the ocean ahead of us.

"It's ok. I just felt so, I don't know, comfortable with him. He listened to me, Emma. No one ever listens to me," she said sadly.

I peered over at her tear-filled eyes. "I'll listen to you, Holly. I am [i]always[/i] here."

"You weren't here last month, Emma." The tears fell from her eyes.

"What happened last month?"

"I have leukemia," she whispered so I could barely hear her. And then she turned away from me, hiding her fear.


	60. Chapter 60

CHAPTER 60

Emma's Point-of-View

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. This can't be true. She's my little sister. She's only seventeen years old. She [i]can't[/i] have cancer.

The tears fell from my eyes uncontrollably. "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked softly, trying to remain calm.

She wiped her eyes and sniffled her nose. "Mom and dad didn't want you to worry about me. You were finally happy and they didn't want you to freak out and drop out of school or something."

"What kind of parents keeps this from their own daughter!" I shouted angrily, continuously crying. "You should have told me, Holly! I would have been there with you," I said sternly, choking on my tears.

"They caught it early, I should be fine," she assured me.

I tried to manage my fury. "How are you so strong?" I whispered.

She laughed. "I'm not, Emma. I just put up a front that I can handle this, but honestly, I am scared to death. I'm scared of dying." The tears glistened in her eyes. "I want to be able to experience a love that you and Rob share."

"You are not going to die," I told her strictly. "You are going to be fine."

"What if I never live to fall in love?" she asked quietly, ignoring what I had said.

I wiped the tears away that were drying on my cheeks. "Holly, that is not going to happen. I won't let that happen to you," I told her.

"Can we go get some ice cream?" she asked, changing the subject.

I smiled, "Sure."

We got up and walked down a few blocks to the pier where there was an ice cream parlor. They had the world's best sherbert ice cream. We each got a scoop in a cup and ate it as we walked back to the car.

I took us back to Rob's apartment. After today, I grew a lot as a person. No longer was I going to hold grudges or pick stupid fights with the people I loved because in a matter of seconds, my whole life could change.


	61. Chapter 61

CHAPTER 61

Emma's Point-of-View

When Holly and I arrived back at Rob's apartment, it was just how we had left it. I ran in before Holly to put the dining room chair back in it's place and picked up the clothing that had been left in the hallway, chucked them into the bedroom, and closed the door.

She laughed and took a seat on the couch, looking around the apartment in awe. I blushed, embarrassed, and sat down next to her.

"I'm really tired, do you mind if I take a quick nap?" she asked as she positioned her head against the end of the couch and closed her eyes.

"No, not at all," I told her. I got up so she could spread her legs the full length of the couch and brought her back a pillow and blanket. "Sweet dreams."

I sat in the kitchen, contemplating calling my parents and confronting them about not telling me about Holly, but I decided it was best to leave it alone for now. Instead, I worked all my frustration into cleaning. I did the dishes and then tidied up the bedroom, putting the clothes away and making the bed.

It had been almost an hour since Holly fell asleep; I couldn't imagine her sleeping much longer. She'd probably be hungry when she got back so I called Domino's and ordered her favorite, plain cheese. I got an extra large just in case Robert ever decided to come home.

As I waited, I curled up on the loveseat next to the couch and turned on the TV, keeping the volume low so Holly wouldn't wake up. There was nothing on really but old Friends reruns. I tried to concentrate on the show, but all I could think about was Holly.

[i]Why did this have to happen to her? Why not me? Why not some other family? She had so much going for her. She was on scholarship to San Diego State University for volleyball and now she might never be able to play again. But that was the least of my worries. What if she didn't make it? What if the cancer was too strong and she couldn't fight it?[/i]

The tears rolled down my cheeks and spotted the grey pillows on the couch. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. [i]Pizza man.[/i]

I hurried to the counter to get the money and answer the door before he rang the doorbell and wake Holly up. My eyes were still red and puffy when I opened the door. But it wasn't the pizza man. [i]It was Rob.[/i]

I didn't say anything; I just wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly. This time I couldn't control my tears. I was too vulnerable. I didn't want to be strong anymore and keep telling myself that everything was going to be okay.

"Emma," he said quietly as he rubbed his hand up and down my back. "What's the matter sweetie?"

I couldn't answer, I was focusing too much on keeping my cries quiet, not wanting Holly to wake up and see me like this. I pulled away and looked at him, trying to smile. "Nothing, I'm fine."

He wiped the tears from my eyes. "If it's really that big of a deal, you don't have to move in with me," he chuckled and pulled me into a hug again.

I shook my head against his chest.

There was a quick knock on the opened door behind us. Rob turned around, but I moved passed him. "Sorry," I said. "Here you go." I handed the pizza man the twenty-dollar bill in exchange for the pizza box. "Thank you."

"It's like you read my mind," Rob smiled, kissing my forehead after he closed the door.

As soon as I walked passed the couch with the pizza, Holly poked her head up. "Mmm, I smell pizza!" she smiled.

Rob hadn't seen her on the couch and jumped. "Wow, hi Holly," he laughed.

"Hi Rob," she grinned and got up from the couch, bringing the blanket with her. She sat on the stool of the island as I slid her a plate with two slices.

"What do you want to drink?" I asked her, looking in the fridge. "Actually, you don't have a choice. Water it is."

"That's fine, she laughed."

"I'll take a beer, babe," Rob smiled.

I eyed him. "What do I look like?"

"You look like you are right next to the refrigerator," he smirked.

I rolled my eyes and tossed him a beer.

"Thank you, sweetie," he teased and piled four slices onto his plate. "Is it ok if I have Tom come over?" he asked.

"Fine with me," Holly smiled at me.

"Tell him he better eat before he comes over," I laughed, watching Rob shove his pizza down his throat.

* * *

"Emma! Our turn!" Rob yelled from the living room. I ran over and sat down on the edge of the couch. Rob was standing in front of me with the Catch Phrase in his hand.

"Ok, babe" he said. "Peter-Peter-blank-eater!"

I laughed at how serious he was being. Who knew he was so competitive.

"Blank is what?!" he shouted, antsy.

"Pumpkin!" I answered.

"Yes!" He walked closer to me and leaned down. "Come here," he gestured at me and I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

I forgot how fun game nights were. I never felt closer to my sister. She had matured a lot in these last few months, and I knew why. Tom knew why, but Rob still had no idea.

"I'm going to drive Holly back to the hotel," Tom said as he grabbed Holly's jacket for her. "We'll see you guys tomorrow."

Holly came up and gave me a hug. "You are the best sister ever," she told me.

"I love you, Holly. I am always here for you if you need anything, ok?"

She nodded and followed Tom out the door. "Love you, Emma. Goodnight Rob!"

"Night," Rob replied. "And Tom, get my sister home safely," he smiled.


	62. Chapter 62

CHAPTER 62

Emma's Point-of-View

"I wonder what's up with those too," Rob laughed. "Never thought I'd see the day when Tom was head-over-heels for a high school girl."

I laughed, but then the visions of Tom and my sister came back into my head. "Ew." I walked passed him into the kitchen to get a glass of water. "Do you mind if I stay the night tonight?" I asked him.

"Of course," he smiled. "I was hoping you would. A little repeat of last night." He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my neck.

I remained still, not wanting him to let go. I set the glass down in the sink and walked towards the bedroom, Rob following right behind me.

"Mind if I borrow some clothes?" I asked him, even though I was already searching through his drawers.

"Um," he hesitated. "I thought..."

"Not tonight, Rob." I unzipped the back of my sundress and let it fall to the ground and then I pulled one of his big t-shirts on over my head. I crawled into bed and buried myself under the covers.

Rob stripped down to his boxers and climbed in next to me. "What's the matter?" he asked softly.

I rotated my body to the side to face him. "Did you know Tom and Holly had sex last night?" I asked very bluntly.

"What?" he laughed. "Tom wouldn't…"

"He did," I interrupted him.

"Well, that changes things," he laughed. "But if it makes you feel any better, Tom is my best friend. He would never hurt her, especially because Holly is my family now."

"I know," I replied. "But that's not what I am worried about," I said sullenly.

"What is it, then?"

"Holly is sick," I told him.

"She didn't seem sick tonight," he replied.

"No, Rob," I began to cry. "She's really sick. She has leukemia." The words were hard to say aloud.

"No," he said, sitting up. "No, she can't."

I just cried. I couldn't talk anymore.

"Baby, come here." He pulled me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his chest. "Shh, it's going to be okay." He ran his hands through my hair until I fell asleep.


	63. Chapter 63

CHAPTER 63

Emma's Point-of-View

I woke up, cradled in the arms of my fiancé. After a long night of crying, this was the perfect start to my day. "Rob," I whispered, running my hands through his hair.

He moaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Good morning, beautiful." His smile was sweet.

I kissed his lips. "What do you want to do today?"

"Hmm," he stretched. "My parents are leaving today. Do you want to do something with your family? Maybe we can go to Catalina for the day."

"Yeah!" I said excitedly. "I haven't been there since I was little. Holly was a baby, I think."

Robert got up out of bed and opened his closet. "Call your parents and see if that's something they would want to do."

"Ok," I replied and grabbed my phone off of the bedside table. My parents and sister were just as thrilled as I was to go to Catalina. It's an island off the coast of Southern California.

"I need to go home to get my bathing suit and a change of clothes. I'll pick you up in about twenty?" I asked Rob as he put on a pair of swim trunks.

"It would be so much easier if you just lived here," he said sarcastically. "Then you wouldn't have to waste your gas or pick me up."

I rolled my eyes at him and walked out the front door.

* * *

My family, Rob, and Tom all took the boat from Long Beach to Catalina Island. Little did I know, my fiancé wasn't much of an ocean guy.

"Why would you want to go to Catalina if you knew you got seasick?" I asked Rob as he leaned over the edge of the boat, his face as pale as snow.

"I didn't [i]know[/i] I was," he defended himself.

"You don't look so good," I added, trying not to laugh. Tom already had to go to the other side of the boat because he couldn't keep a straight face around him. I, on the other hand, tried my best to take care of him. "Come here, let's sit down." I took his hand and led him to a bench on the patio of the upper deck.

My mom came up and handed Rob a turkey sandwich. "Here Robert, you need to eat something. It will help."

"If I eat I'm just going to throw it up," he said slowly.

I tried not to laugh. "Rob, hunny, please just eat it. You're not going to throw up." I moved my hand up and down his back, trying to comfort him.

He took I bite into his sandwich. "If I do, you better hope you have quick reflexes and jump out of the way," he laughed.

"You wouldn't."

He shrugged and finished off his sandwich.

"Feeling any better?" I asked him.

"A little. Let's take a walk around," he suggested. He took my hand and we strolled around the perimeter of the boat. He stopped at the edge and pointed below him. "Look, Em. Dolphins!"

I leaned over the railing to see. He held on to my waist, protectively. "This is so cool!" I exclaimed. "Look at them all!" I looked back at Rob, who was smiling at me.

"There's got to be at least fifty of them," he said.

I rotated my body to face his. My back was pressed against the railing and Rob's hands remained at my waist. "If I was an animal, I'd want to be a dolphin," I explained like I was a little kid.

"But if you were a dolphin, you couldn't marry me," he said.

"No, if I were a dolphin, you'd be a dolphin too," I corrected him.

He drew my waist in closer to him and kissed me fiercely on the lips. "I bet you dolphins can't do that," he laughed.

"Hmph," I surrendered.

The sound of the boat's horn indicated that we had arrived at the island. Rob and I searched the lower deck for the rest of the group. We found them sitting at a round table, gathering their things to go.

"Holly!" Rob called my sister who was walking in front of us with Tom and my parents. She stopped and turned back towards him. "Give me a few minutes, ok love?" I nodded and he ran to catch up with her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulder and continued to talk to her. I wonder what he was saying.

A few minutes later he returned to me. "We're going parasailing!" he said enthusiastically.

"Great," I replied sarcastically. "Are you [i]trying[/i] to make yourself sick?"

"Oh come on, Em! I'm not going to get sick. It'll be fun!"

"Yeah you're telling that to the girl that will be strapped in front of you," I told him sternly. "I swear to God, if you throw up on me…"

"You'll what?" he laughed.

"Something really bad," I said. I couldn't think of anything yet.

"I like bad things," Rob smirked.

"Let's get this over with."

The man lectured us on all the safety precautions and instructions while we were on the boat. When it was bout time to get strapped in, Rob and I both stripped down to our bathing suits.

I knelt down to feel the water. The next thing I knew, I was in the water. Rob grabbed on to me and threw both of us overboard.

"Robert Thomas Pattinson! It's freezing!!! Why did you do that?!" I gasped for air in the frigid water.

Rob just laughed at me. "You would have had to get in sometime. I just made it easier for you."

"You have a point," I smiled.

I never imagined what the ocean would look like from so far up. It was incredible.

"This is so cool," Rob said into my ear.

"I know," I agreed. "It's so peaceful up here."

After Rob and I, it was Tom and Holly's turn.

"What did you and Holly talk about earlier?" I asked Rob when we were alone in the boat. My mom and dad were off bike riding through the town.

"I just wanted to check up on her. See if she needed anything," he answered.

"Thanks," I told him as I watched the water from my hair splash onto the floor of the boat.

Rob brushed my cheek with the back of his fingers. "She's going to be all right, Em. She may be tiny, but she is strong. Just like her big sister," he smiled.

I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much."

When I pulled away, he placed a light kiss on my forehead. "I love you too, sweetie."


	64. Chapter 64

CHAPTER 64

Emma's Point-of-View

ONE MONTH LATER

I just finished my second year at UCLA. It's incredible how fast the time goes by. It was weird thinking that in a year from now I will be a college graduate [i]and[/i] a wife.

"Come on, Em! We're going to be late!" Rob shouted from the living room. I was in my bedroom finishing some last minute packing for our weekend trip to San Francisco for Holly's high school graduation.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" I yelled back, slinging the bag over my shoulders. It almost tipped me over it was so heavy.

"Here, I got it," Rob laughed and put the bag over his shoulders. "I see you still haven't grasped the concept of packing light."

I ignored his comment and grabbed my purse off the counter. "Bye Amanda!" I yelled.

"Bye guys! Have fun!" she shouted back from the bathroom. She was getting ready for a date she had with a boy she met at her hospital internship. I was glad she wasn't upset about the whole Tom and Holly thing. She liked him a lot but understood when he told her that he just didn't want to be more than friends.

It took a while for me to warm up to the fact that my now 18-year old sister was seeing a 23-year old, but I realized that it wasn't all that bad. They were only casually dating; the long-distance thing made it a little difficult for them, but I knew Tom really cared a lot about her.

* * *

"I now present to you the graduating class of 2009!" the principal announced into the loudspeaker. All the students threw their red caps into the air and jumped up in down in excitement, giving each other hugs and pats on the backs.

[i]I remember that.[/i]

"Congratulations!" I ran up to Holly and gave her a big hug.

She smiled brightly, "Thank you! I'm so glad you guys made it!"

"We wouldn't miss this," Rob smiled and embraced her in a warm hug. "Congrats Hol. We're so proud of you."

"Thank you, Rob! You're the best big brother ever," she grinned up at him.

"My baby!" my mom cried as she continuously dried the tears from her eyes. "I can't believe another one of our little girls is all grown up."

My dad stood behind my mom making fun of her overreaction. "Wa-wa-wa!" he mouthed.

All of us laughed.

"It's ok, mom," Holly said, giving her a hug. "I love you!"

"Come here," my dad called Holly in for a hug. "You made it, kid. Congratulations!"

"Thanks dad."

"Hey Holly." Tom came out from behind us all with a bouquet of flowers. "These are for you," he smiled and handed them to her.

"Aw, thank you!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him closely.

"You're welcome," he grinned and kissed her on the forehead.

"Aw," I smiled. "They are so cute!" I whispered to Rob.

"He's so whipped," he laughed. "It's disgusting."

"What?" I hit his arm playfully. "How can you tell?"

"Because," he started. "That's exactly how I looked at you when we first started seeing each other. I would have done anything for you."

"What's so bad about that?" I teased.

Rob wrapped his arm around my waste. "Nothing," he chuckled. "I'd still do anything for you, you know that." He kissed the top of my head as we walked towards the car.

We all piled into my parents' SUV and drove back to my house. It was exactly how I remembered it.

"Come on! I want to show you the house!" I pulled Rob threw the front door.

"Emma, he's already seen it," Holly laughed.

All my excitement vanished. "Oh yeah," I said sadly. "I forgot you were just here."

"Yeah, but I never got an official tour," he eyed Holly, which made me laugh. Even though I knew he was just trying to make me happy, I went along with it.

While everyone else got set up for a dinner, I showed Rob around the house. "This is the living room…the kitchen…and out here…" I opened the sliding glass door to the backyard. "Mady! Gunner!" I yelled. My two Labrador puppies came running up to me, although they weren't puppies anymore. They had gotten so big since the last time I saw them.

Both of them jumped all over Rob. "Down. Down, boy," he would say, kicking them off of his legs. "Oh screw it," he laughed and knelt down on his knees. Mady and Gunner licked his face clean. "Thank you," he told them as he wobbled up to his feet.

I walked back inside and went upstairs. The floor creaked in the same spot outside my door as always. I hated that creak growing up – I could never sneak out of the house. Now, I kind of liked it; it brought back good memories.

"Here's my room!" I opened the door to the spacious bedroom. It was decorated just how I had it all throughout my teenage years. The letters "LIVE" and "LOVE" hung above my queen sized bed, along with a picture of a dove.

Rob closed the door behind us. "This room is [i]so[/i] you," he laughed. He walked up to my picture wall. I didn't know what to do with the blank wall in my room, so I took a bunch of Polaroids of my friends and I and put them everywhere.

I came up next to him and looked at all the pictures. "Oh man," I laughed. "This was when my friend Keeana and I decided to have jungle day at school. I wore a leopard print tank top and she wore a zebra print shirt. And the guy in the back is wearing my jacket with the fur on the hood."

"You were such a nerd," he chuckled.

"Don't make fun of me! It was fun!"

"It's ok, I like nerds," he smiled. He leaned in close to me.

"Ew! Dog breath!" I ran away and jumped on my bed, laughing.

Rob busted out in laughter. "Give me two seconds." He walked into the bathroom that was connected to my room. A minute later he laid down on the bed next to me. "Minty fresh," he smiled.

I pressed my lips firmly to his. "Mm, yes you are," I smiled and kissed him again. I moved on top of him, unbuttoning his light blue shirt while I continuously kissed him, each time with more intensity.

Rob hit my bum with his hand. "Em," he whispered, trying to sit up.

I kissed his neck, but felt him gulp. "Emma, stop."

"You're no fun," I pouted and rolled over so I was sitting next to him on the bed. He hurriedly pulled the blankets over his waist.

"Well hello, Emma," my mom said from my doorway.

"Shit," I whispered to Rob. "Erm, hi mom," I smiled.

"Dinner's ready. Come down when you two are ready." She closed the door behind her.

I sunk under the covers. "Oh god, help me."

"Emma," Rob laughed. "Come out from under there." He tickled me from outside the covers. "Come out!"

I pulled the covers from over my head. "This is humiliating! Why didn't you say something?!"

"I tried! You wouldn't listen!"

I stepped out of the bed and went to the bathroom to fix my hair. "We better go down."


	65. Chapter 65

CHAPTER 65

Emma's Point-of-View

That was definitely a first. Never had I [i]ever[/i] dared get caught in my bedroom with a boy. All throughout high school, I was paranoid about making sure the door was locked before doing anything in my bedroom with Stephen, my high school boyfriend.

"Thank God we don't live with our parents," Robert whispered as we walked down the stairs.

"You're telling me," I replied quietly.

My mom watched us as we sat down next to each other at the dining room table. "It's so nice to have my girls back together again," she smiled. I really had missed my mom. She truly was one of my best friends growing up. I remember in junior high one day; I came home crying from school because my friends were being mean to me. She held me tight and grabbed the keys and we drove and drove until we found a town far enough away. We talked and window-shopped until I forgotten everything that had happened that day.

"So," Rob ended the silence. "How come you're not out celebrating with all of your friends tonight?" he asked Holly.

Holly finished her bite and answered. "I'm not really feeling up to it. The treatments are making me really tired lately."

I could tell Rob wished he never asked. "Oh, right," he said quietly. "Well that will give us time to kick your butt in Catch Phrase again," he laughed.

Holly cheered up. "Oh, yeah right! But I was thinking we could watch some home videos while we eat cake. It's kind of a tradition Emma and I have whenever she comes home from college."

"Oh Lord," I laughed. "This is going to be embarrassing."

Both Tom and Rob's faces lit up. "I can't wait!" Tom pronounced.

We all sat around the couch as my dad put the first video into the DVD player. "Halloween 1996."

Holly and I were running around the pumpkin patch, trying to pick out the pumpkins that we wanted to carve. I was in a red and white polka-dotted dress and my hair was in long ringlets of messy curls. We both had pumpkins face-painted on our cheeks. The camera followed Holly around as she tried to lift multiple pumpkins up off the ground. You could hear my mom and dad laughing in the background as she squatted down to the ground and lifted up with all her might, but it never budged.

The next tape showed Holly and I on our driveway, dancing and singing to Radio Disney. The song from Lion King was on and I was being completely serious about my performance. I had my hairbrush in my hand as my microphone and everything. Holly was off to the side, begging for my mom to film her. "Can you see me?" she whined. "You can't see me, mamma!"

"Attention whore," I said quietly so only Rob and Holly could hear.

Rob laughed. "Be nice."

Once the song ended, it was Holly's turn to sing. She took my place in front of the camera and grabbed the brush from me. "You have to dance Holly!" I could hear me saying. Holly continued to stand in place, making up the words as she went.

"I don't know this song!" she cried. "I want another song!"

"No, Holly. You get that song. I get to do the next one!" I told her.

"Why don't you both do the next song," my mom suggested.

"No!" Holly cried. "I want to by myself!" At this point, you could actually see her face turn from pale white to bright red.

My mom ignored us both and scanned the front yard with the camera. My dad was watering the grass with the hose.

"Mom!!! Can you see me?" Holly demanded. My mom moved the camera back to her as she wiped the tears from her eyes and moved her bangs out of her face. [i]I knew what was coming next[/i]. My dad came up behind Holly with the hose and sprayed her. Holly screamed bloody murder and ran away. This time she didn't have to make sure the camera was on her; my mom got it all on tape.

"Oh come here, you cry baby," my dad laughed.

"He got me wettttt!!" she cried and then screamed some more when my dad walked towards her with the house.

"Talk about drama queen," Tom laughed.

"I think I've had enough home videos for one night," Holly leapt off the couch to turn the TV off, silencing the cries that were coming from the video.

"I think I'm going to head on up to bed," I told everyone, hinting at Robert to come with me.

He stood up and followed behind me. "Goodnight everyone."

Once we made it halfway up the stairs, we ran the rest of our way up to my bedroom. Rob made sure to the lock the door this time.

Rob stripped down to his boxers and I slipped on a spaghetti-strapped nightie. I cuddled up against him in bed. "You were one cute little girl," he said smiling and kissed my forehead. "After watching those videos of you and your sister, it makes me hope that we have two daughters."

"Really?" I asked surprised. We had never talked about children before.

"Yeah," he answered. "Two girls and one boy. I need to have one other man in the house, or I'll go crazy," he laughed. "But definitely two girls."

"I was thinking the same thing," I told him. "But two girls and two boys."

Rob chuckled. "Ok, we'll see." He stroked my arms with his fingertips and hummed my lullaby until I fell asleep.


	66. Chapter 66

CHAPTER 66

Emma's Point-of-View

I woke up the next morning to the sound of my doorknob rattling.

Rob moaned and rolled over in the bed. "Who is it?" he whispered.

"I don't know," I sat up in my bed and rubbed my eyes. It was only eight-o-clock.

Whoever was at the door started knocking. I was going to kill Holly if it was her. "Open up, Emmie!"

[i]Emmie.[/i] The only person that called me that was…I rushed to the door and quickly unlocked it. "Keeana!" I squeezed her tightly in a big hug. "I can't believe you're here!" I squealed, dragging her into my room.

"Where else would I be?" she laughed. "I've been stuck in this town since graduation. I hate community college."

"I know that," I laughed. "But, I meant, here! In my house! How did you know I was home? I was going to call…"

"Our mom's still talk all the time," she said. "Your mom told my mom that you and Rob," she pointed to bed with a questioning look on her face and Rob waved.

"Yeah that's him," I smiled.

"Would be here this weekend," she continued. "So I thought I'd surprise you with a visit! Sorry I came so early, but I have work at noon."

"Oh shut up! Don't be sorry! I am so glad you're here. I missed you so much!" I gave her another hug.

"Babe, can you throw me a t-shirt and some sweatpants," Rob asked timidly.

I searched through his suitcase and tossed him some clothes on the bed. Once he was dressed, he walked over to Keeana and I. "I'm Rob," he smiled, holding out his hand.

"Keeana," she grinned.

"Right," he laughed. "The girl from the jungle picture."

"Oh geez, Emma! Why do you still have that picture up! That's so embarrassing," she said.

"I love that picture! It's cute!" I defended it.

"I'm going to let you two have your girl time. I'll go see what Tom is up to," Rob said shyly.

"Everyone is still asleep except for Mr. and Mrs. Westman," Keeana told him.

"I'll be downstairs," he laughed and walked out the door.

"He's [i]so[/i] cute!" Keeana said once we were sure Rob was safely downstairs.

"I know!" I squealed. "And he's so sweet too."

"Let me see the ring!" she pleaded. I held out my left hand to show her. "Aw, Em. It's gorgeous! When is the wedding?"

"We still haven't set a date, but we're thinking next spring or summer," I told her. "After graduation."

Keeana laid back on the bed. "I can't believe you're getting married. I remember we used to always say you'd be the first. It's just insane that it's actually happening now."

I laughed, remembering the specific talks Keeana, Amanda, and I would have the summer after our high school graduation. They said I was going to go off to college and marry the first guy I fell for. And they were exactly right. That's just what happened.

"Hey," I said. "Do you want to go down to the park? I wanted to show Rob and it would be so much more fun if you came along with us!"

She sat up. "Wow, I haven't been there in forever."

"I know. I think the last time I went was with you and Amanda almost two years ago."

"Well, let's get going!" she smiled and hopped off the bed. "I wonder if our tree is still there."

"Rob!" I called from upstairs. He was downstairs talking to my mom and dad. My mom quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. I slowly walked towards her, giving Rob a questioning look. "Mom, what's the matter?" I asked.

She got up from the sofa and walked into the kitchen. "Nothing, sweetie. I'm fine. Just got something in my eye. What are you and Keeana going to do today?"

I hesitated, but glanced over at Rob. "We were going to go to the park if you want to come," I said slowly, still wondering why my mom was in tears.

"Sure, that sounds good. Just let me get changed."

* * *

"Amanda, Keeana, and I used to come here every Friday after school," I told Rob as we walked through the park.

"And do what?" he asked.

"Talk," Keeana answered. "Boy, we've had some good talks here," she laughed.

"Yes we have," I agreed. "Look Keeana, it's still there." I pointed to the tree that we carved our initials in. "A K E."

"Ake," Rob laughed. I hit his arm playfully. "Ow," he whined, rubbing his arm.

"So how long have you girls known each other?" Rob asked us.

"Seventh grade," we said simultaneously. "And then we met Amanda our freshman year of high school," I added.

"And we've been inseparable ever since," Keeana said. "Well until they went away to college and left me here!" she laughed. "They are the best friends a girl could ask for," she gave me a hug. "Shoot," she said, looking at her phone. "I have to go to work. Bye Emmie! I'll come visit soon, I promise!"

"You better!" I smiled.

"It was nice meeting you Rob. Take care of her!"

"I will," he smiled and gave Keeana a hug. "I'll see you soon."

As Rob and I walked back to my house, I asked him about earlier this morning. "How come my mom was crying?"

"What?"

"Rob, you know what I'm talking about. Don't act stupid," I told him.

"Emma, I don't know if now is the best time to talk about this. Can it wait until we get back home tonight?" he said softly, sticking his hands in his jacket pockets.

Tears started welling up in my eyes. I think I knew exactly what was going on.


	67. Chapter 67

CHAPTER 67

Emma's Point-of-View

It seemed that just as we got up into the air, we were landing back at LAX. I tried to convince myself not to jump to conclusions about why my mom was crying, but there was really only one reason…Holly.

I think Rob understood that I knew what was going on because he was completely silent until we got back to his apartment. He plopped down on the couch and took a deep breath. "All this traveling is making me exhausted," he said. "I wish I just had one month that I could stay inside and not have to go anywhere."

"Me too." I curled up next to him on the couch, resting my head on his chest. "Are you going to tell me, Rob?"

He sighed and brushed his messy hair back with his hand. "I don't really know how to put it," he said softly.

"It's bad, isn't it?" I practically whispered.

He just nodded.

"No," I murmured. I got up from the couch and grabbed my bags. The tears blurred my vision. I had no idea what I was doing; it was just the first thing that came to my mind. I had to go back to her. Holly needed me.

[i]I needed her.[/i]

"Emma," Robert reached out for my arm.

"Don't touch me!" I cried.

"Baby, please." Rob's eyes began to glisten with tears. "Let me hold you," he begged. His words were shaky. He wrapped his arms around me, holding my head close to his heart. I was too weak to fight him away, but I wanted him to stay. I needed him with me.

I buried my head in his chest and cried. That's all I could do.

"I thought they caught it early," I sobbed.

"I know, sweetie. They did. But the treatments aren't working. The cancer is progressing too fast," he said.

"Isn't there something they can do?" I asked calmly. "There has to be something."

"They are going to try everything they can to make this less painful for her," he answered. "There's still hope, Em. Never give up hope."

I excused myself from the couch and ran into the bathroom. The hollowness I felt in my stomach was making me sick. I laid on the bathroom floor, bawling my eyes out. The harder I cried, the more I felt the need to throw up. I leaned over the toilet, choking on my tears.

"Stupid!" I shouted to myself and leaned up against the bathtub. I hugged my knees to my chest and focused on my breathing. [i]Inhale. Slowly. Exhale.[/i]

Once I was completely cooled down, I lifted myself up off the ground and opened the bathroom door. Rob was bent forward against the wall in the hallway outside the bathroom, his head hung low. He looked up when I walked outside. [i]He was crying.[/i]

I sunk the floor right beside him. "I love you, Emma." He grabbed my hand and held it in his, gently caressing it with his thumb.

"I love you too," I said quietly and leaned my head against his shoulder.

"Everything is going to be fine," he assured me, even though I knew that was a false promise. From now on, nothing was going to be fine.

"But it's not," I said seriously. "I need to go back home."

"Emma, no. Your parents want you to stay here. Holly is going to be doing an extensive amount of treatment in these next couple weeks. It's best if we just stay here. Your parents will call if they need you."

"But what if something happens?" I asked. I could feel the tears coming back, but I forced them away.

"If anything happens, they will call us and we'll be on the first flight to San Francisco. I promise."

"Thank you," I told him, staring at the carpet below me.

"I'm here for you always," he stated. "I'm never going away. Just promise me, you'll always be here, Emma. No matter what happens. I can't lose you."

"I would never leave you," I told him.

He smiled shyly and kissed my forehead. "Do you want me to drive you home or…?"

"No, I'm staying here," I replied. "For good."


	68. Chapter 68

CHAPTER 68

Emma's Point-of-View

The next few weeks, Rob and I started gradually moving things into his apartment. I didn't want to move everything at once because Amanda still hadn't found someone to replace me.

"Is this mine or yours?" I asked her as I held up a makeup bag. I was sitting Indian style on my bathroom floor, searching through the cabinets and throwing all of my things into cardboard boxes.

"Um," Amanda poked her head out of our, or I guess her, bedroom. "That's yours."

I chucked the bag into the half-filled box. "How's it coming in there?" I shouted.

"Remind me never to buy you any more clothes," Rob laughed. "Or I'm going to have to convert the guest bedroom into a closet for you."

"I'm okay with that," I joked.

Once we got all of my clothes, shoes, purses, and bathroom supplies packed, we loaded up both Rob's and my cars with boxes. Rob placed one box in the back of his car, already filling up all the space in his trunk.

"Your car is useless," I told him sarcastically.

He ignored me and squished another box inside. I bit my tongue, keeping myself from making another rude comment. Luckily the rest of the boxes fit in the back of my car.

By the time we unloaded all of the boxes into Rob's living room, I was exhausted. Rob stared at everything and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "How about we get some lunch before we start unpacking," he suggested. That sounded like a great idea. I never realized how time-consuming moving actually was. It was hard work. Packing everything up and then having to put it all away in its new place.

We walked down the block to a deli and each picked up a sandwich to go. A part of me just wanted to finish everything today so I didn't have to worry about it tonight. Then I could finally relax in my new home.

While Rob organized the master bathroom and closet to fit my stuff, I emptied out all of the boxes in the living room. Bad idea. It was an absolute disaster. I couldn't even walk through the clutter to get to the hallway.

"Rob!" I yelled from the living room.

He walked out of the bedroom. "Shit," he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "This could be a problem."

I plopped down on the couch. "This was a bad idea," I sighed.

"What was?"

"Moving in here. There's no room for both of us. Look at all my stuff," I started laughing out of stress. Rob tiptoed through the muddle, careful not to step on anything, and then climbed over the backside of the couch.

"Everything is going to work out," he assured me. "Hell, I only have like five outfits. Tops. There's plenty of room for your five thousand dresses and shoes." He kissed my forehead and hugged me close. "Come on, let's start with the bathroom stuff. I will pass you your stuff and you can put it wherever you want, ok?"

I nodded and smiled. "Ok."

Rob put his iPod on and blasted Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl." "We'll make this fun." He jumped off the back of the couch and tossed some things back into a box. "Let's go."

I followed him into the bathroom and started stacking my things in the cabinet. An hour later, everything was put away. I lifted myself up from the floor and took a deep breath. "All done."

"Told you everything would fit," he grinned. "Now for the hard part…the clothes."

"This will be easy," I took his hand and pulled him into the living room. "Grab a pile and throw them on your bed. I'll put the hangers on everything and you hang them up in the closet." Piece by piece, I hung up each shirt and dress and passed them to Rob who hung them up.

"Running out of room," he laughed.

"Almost done! Can you squeeze a few more things in there?" The mound on the bed had shrunken down a lot.

"Yeah, I think so."

I handed him three more shirts and he stuffed them inside. "That's the last of it," I told him.

He stumbled over to his bed and fell on top of it. "Sleep."

"All right, you get some rest. I'm going to go recycle the boxes. I'll be back in like fifteen minutes to join you." I kissed his lips and scooted off the end of the bed.

As I was picking up all of the empty boxes from the living room, my phone began to ring. "Hey Keeana!"

"Guess who got a job at [i]NASA[/i]?" she said nonchalantly.

"No way!"

"Yes!" she shouted excitedly. "It gets better."

"Go on," I urged her.

"It's in…Los Angeles!"

"Are you serious?!" I screamed. "You mean you're moving to LA?"

"Yes! I start in a week! I am so excited, Emmie! I'm finally going to be reunited with my two best friends."

"Ahhh! I can't believe it! This is the best news I've gotten all day!" I told her and then I thought of a brilliant idea. "Keeana! You should move in with Amanda now that I moved out!"

"Way ahead of you sister. I faxed in the signed lease this morning."

Rob staggered out of the bedroom tiredly.

"Oh crap, Keeana, I have to go," I whispered. "Call me tomorrow!"

"Ok, bye!"

"[i]Sorry[/i]!" I said sincerely to Rob.

He yawned. "What's all the excitement?"

I ran up to him and gave him a hug. "Keeana is moving in with Amanda! She got a job with NASA!"


	69. Chapter 69

CHAPTER 69

Emma's Point-of-View

The next month went by exceptionally fast. I couldn't believe I started school in a little less than two months. I wish I could stop time and seize the moment. Life was good now. Keeana, Amanda, and I were all together again, I was living with my soon to be husband, and Holly's health was getting a little better with each day.

Today was the third day I was home alone. Rob was promoting the new movie in New York for the week so I had the house to myself. The days were long and boring – Keeana had work and Amanda had her internship. It's times like these that I wished I wouldn't have missed my interview for the internship at St. Jude's that I applied for, but I was in San Francisco with Holly.

I wandered around the apartment aimlessly, trying to find something to do. I had already finished two of the books from Rob's bookshelf in the past three days. I [i]really[/i] needed to get out of the house.

I searched through the closet for something to wear. It was boiling outside so I decided on a short belted dress and gladiator sandals. [i]Hmm, now what?[/i] I went back to the couch and pulled out my phone, scrolling through the contacts. Blaire. [i]No. She's in Mexico.[/i] Jackie. [i]At home in San Francisco.[/i] Stephen. [i]Hmm, I can't think of an excuse not to call him.[/i] I hesitated, but pressed the call button. [i]Shit. This was a bad idea.[/i]. I hung up the phone after it rang twice and tossed the phone on the cushion next to me.

A few seconds later, my phone was vibrating. [i]It was Stephen.[/i]

"Hey," I said as calmly as possible.

"Hey, Em. Did you just call me?" he asked. I hadn't heard his voice in months.

"Uh, yeah," I confessed. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"Eh," he sighed. "I've been better."

"What's the matter?" I asked him, concerned.

"Nothing too devastating," he laughed. "Sarah and I broke up a few days ago."

"Oh, Stephen! I'm so sorry," I said, even though I wasn't entirely sorry. I couldn't picture them lasting long anyways. Sarah was too high-maintenance for Stephen. I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.

He laughed, "It's ok, Em. It's not nearly as hard as it was when you and I broke up."

"Oh," I said quietly. I didn't know what else to say.

"Hey, what are you doing right now? I'm just about to get some lunch. I'd love some company," he declared happily.

"Um, yeah. Lunch sounds good." I told him.

"Ok, I'll pick you up at your apartment in like twenty."

"Wait, Stephen. I'll just meet you there. Where do you want to go?" I caught him before he hung up. I couldn't exactly tell him to pick me up at my fiancé's house. I wanted to tell him in person that I was engaged.

"Oh, ok. Let's go to Baja Fresh. Like old times." I could tell he was looking forward to this lunch a little too much.

"Ok, I'll be there in twenty."

I hung up the phone, regretting what I just got myself into. Sure, it would be nice to catch up with Stephen. We didn't necessarily end on bad terms or anything; we kind of just drifted apart after we both left for college.

* * *

"Are you here yet?" Stephen texted me. I was sitting at a red light a block away from the restaurant.

"Two minutes," I texted back.

When I pulled into the parking lot, I laughed at the sight of his giant black Silverado truck. We had some good times in that truck. He opened up his door and stepped outside, waiting for me to come to him.

"Hi, Em," he smiled brightly and wrapped his arms around me. "It's good to see you."

"You too," I grinned.

"Come on, let's eat. I'm starving," he said, ushering me inside. We waited in line in an awkward silence that was broken by the lady behind the counter yelling, "Next!"

"Go ahead," Stephen said, gesturing me to place my order.

I grabbed my number and drink cup and stepped to the side to wait for Stephen to finish ordering.

"So," I said once we sat down with our food. "What are your plans for the rest of the summer?"

"Just working out, making sure I stay in shape for baseball," he answered.

"Of course," I smiled. "How is baseball going?"

"Good," he responded. "I started last season. The team sucks, but I've been playing really well."

[i]Once cocky, always cocky[/i], I thought to myself. "That's good."

"What's new with you?" he asked.

"Well," I started.

"I heard Keeana moved out here," he interrupted. "Have you seen her much?"

"Yeah, she's living with Amanda so I see them both a lot when they aren't working," I replied.

"Wait, if she's living with Amanda, then where are you living?" he asked confused.

"That's what I was trying to explain," I told him. "I'm living with Rob. Do you remember him?"

"You're still with that guy?" he asked, taking a bite into his burrito.

I nodded, laughing at the cheese that dripped off of Stephen's lips. I gestured my hand to my lips and he wiped it away with a napkin. "Thanks," he sad.

"Stephen, I'm engaged," I blurted out.

He looked from his plate. "You're kidding."

"Nope, I'm not kidding." I held out my hand to show him the ring.

"Emma, you're twenty years old for Christ's sake. What the hell are you thinking? There's no way your parents are okay with this," he said angrily.

"What's the problem?" I questioned him. "I'm in love, Stephen," I whispered. I didn't want to hurt him.

He took a deep breath. "Wow."

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I shouldn't have brought it up. I should go."

"No, Emma. It's fine. I'm glad you're happy," he smiled.

"Thank you. I really am happy," I smiled back.

"Just don't go getting knocked up," he teased. "Finish college first."

I laughed. "Yes sir."

The rest of the lunch we talked about Rob and Holly. He had heard my sister was sick from his parents, but didn't know how to bring it up. He reassured me that everything was going to be okay and let me know that he'd be there if I ever needed anything. It was nice talking to him. In a way, he was exactly the guy I knew in high school, but also very different – more mature and sensible.

"Thanks for coming to lunch with me," he said as we stood outside his truck.

"I'm glad I called," I replied. "We have to do this more often."

"Definitely," he smiled and gave me a hug. "Bye Em."

I got into my car and followed Stephen part of the way home, until I turned off the main street to my apartment. I locked my car as I walked up the steps to the door. When I opened it, I noticed a brunette sitting on the couch. She turned to face me and I realized who it was. [i]Victoria? I think that was her name…[/i]

I closed the door and ran down the steps, calling Rob on my way to my car. I held the phone against my shoulder and put the key into the ignition. "Rob!" I said when he answered the phone.

"What?" he asked, laughing.

Vic was walking out of the apartment towards my car.

"Fuc.k! I have to go," I told him frantically.

"Emma?"

I threw the phone on the passenger's seat. She was at my side window, staring inside.

"What?" I mouthed to her.


	70. Chapter 70

CHAPTER 70

Robert's Point-of-View

"Emma?" I called into the phone. "Emma, answer me. Is everything ok?"

She never hung up the phone after she said she had to go. I heard her mumbling to herself, but couldn't quite make out what she was saying.

Then there was a knock on her window. "What?" she asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Robert, do you know what time he'll be back?" I heard a woman say, but I couldn't quite match the voice to a face.

"He's not home. He's away on business. I can tell him you stopped by and he can call you if he wants to see you," Emma told the mystery girl.

"Oh, that's not necessary," she laughed. "I'll just wait until he comes back."

I heard the car door open and assumed that Emma was getting out of the car. "Listen, Victoria."

[i]Shit. Shit. Shit.[/i] "Emma!" I yelled frantically into the phone. "Pick up your dam.n phone!" I knew she couldn't hear me, but what else was I supposed to do?

"No, Emma, you listen," Victoria said. "I know Robert has probably told you stories about me and you probably hate me, but we need to talk."

"Um," Emma hesitated. "He's actually never mentioned you." There was a long pause and then I heard Emma say something again. "Wait. How the hell did you get into our apartment?"

"[i]Our?[/i]" Victoria questioned.

"Yes, [i]our[/i]. How did you get in?" Emma demanded.

"The window," Victoria responded nonchalantly. "You should really consider locking those before you leave.

"Are you psycho?" Emma shouted. "You can't just break into someone's house!"

"Call the cops."

"You wouldn't," Victoria tested Emma. Bad idea. She should [i]not[/i] mess with Emma when she is mad. I have learned that…multiple times.

"Step foot at my apartment again and I will," Emma said sternly.

"Bye, Emma. I'll see you around," Victoria said.

A few minutes later, I heard Emma come back into the car. "Oh, shi.t," she said. This time her voice was closer; she must have picked up her phone. "Hey," she sighed into the phone. "You heard all that?" she laughed.

"I did," I replied. "Em, can you please do me a favor and stay over at Keeana and Amanda's apartment until I get back. Or at least have someone stay in the apartment with you."

"Sure," she said confused. "Why? Do you think…"

"I don't know what she would do, but you never know with Victoria. She may be small, but she is dangerous," I stated seriously.

"Ok," she said. "Why do you think she came today?"

"I have no idea," I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "I'll take care of it when I get home."

"Ok, thanks Rob."

"Thanks for handling the situation so well," I told her. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with her again. I love you, baby."

"I love you too."

"Oh, and Em! Make sure you lock the windows," I laughed.


	71. Chapter 71

CHAPTER 71

Emma's Point-of-View

As soon as I got back inside, I locked all the windows and doors in the apartment. Paranoid was an understatement. That girl [i]freaked[/i] me out and Rob didn't assure me at all.

"Amanda," I said into the phone. "What are you guys up to?"

"I'm getting ready for a work party and Keeana is on her way home from work," she answered.

"Oh, ok. Have fun tonight," I told her.

I hung up the phone and called Keeana. "Hola chica," she answered.

"Hey, how was work?" I asked.

"Gooood. What are you up to?"

"Nothing, just hanging out at home. Want to come over for a sleepover tonight?" I asked her.

"I actually have a date," she said excitedly. "Remember I told you about that really cute guy that I work with?"

"Yeah."

"Well, he asked me out today. We're going to see a movie at seven," she said.

"Yay!" I exclaimed. "You'll have to call me about it tonight to tell me about it."

"Will do. I'll talk to you later Emmie. Bye!"

"Bye," I ended the phone call.

I didn't want to bug Amanda and Keeana about spending the night at their apartment. They were busy. I wanted them to have fun. It was weird that they were still casually dating. They were young. [i]I[/i] was young [i]and[/i] engaged. A part of me was envious of their lives. [i]Ok, no I wasn't.[/i] I just needed Rob to get back then I'd stop having these thoughts.

I called Stephen and left him a voicemail. "Hey Stephen. It's Em. Um, I have a favor to ask you. Can you call me when you get this? Thank you. Bye."

I changed into one of Rob's plaid long-sleeved shirts, leggings, and Uggs and curled up on the couch to watch this week's shows that I recorded. I must have fallen asleep because I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating on the coffee table.

"Hello?" I said without looking at the caller-id.

"Hey Emma," Stephen responded.

"Oh, hey Stephen." I sat up on the couch. "Thanks for calling back."

"No problem. What can I do for you?"

"Can you uh…sleepover here at my apartment. I know it sounds weird, but I'll explain when you get here," I told him.

"Um, sure?" he answered. "What's your address?"

"224 Cahuenga, apartment B."

"All right. I'll be over soon. Do you need me to bring anything?" he asked.

"Have any good movies?"

"Dark Knight?" he suggested.

"Sounds good," I replied. "See you soon."

Stephen arrived about a half an hour later. "Two times in a day," he smiled when he saw me, giving me a hug. "I've seen you more in the last 24 hours than I have in the past year."

"I know," I said. "It's nice."

"It is. I missed you, Em. I'm glad we can be friends again. I mean, I never wanted to lose you as a friend. It was just…to hard, I guess."

"I know. I felt the same way," I told him. "But we're good now."

"Yeah," he grinned, stepping inside the living room. "This place is [i]really[/i] nice," he admired.

"Thanks," I blushed. "It was Rob's apartment, but I just moved in like a month ago."

"Gotcha. So, do you want to tell me what's going on?" he asked.

"Oh, right," I laughed. "When I got home from lunch today Rob's crazy ex-girlfriend was here. She broke into the apartment and was waiting for him, but he's away on business for the rest of the week. I didn't want to stay alone in the house in case she came back…" I explained.

"Wow," he said, shocked. "Glad to say I've never had a crazy ex-girlfriend. Thank you for that," he laughed, patting my back.

I glared at him. "No problem."

"Well, I'm glad you asked me to come. I wouldn't want you to be here all alone with some psycho stalker roaming nearby."

"Yeah, that's what Rob said," I told him.

Stephen was quiet and just nodded shyly.

"Should we start the movie?" I interrupted the silence.

"Yeah." He pulled the DVD out of his backpack and handed it to me.

We both sat down on the couch and watched the movie. My eyes grew heavy, but I forced myself to stay awake to finish the movie.

"Tired?" Stephen asked. "You can get to bed. I'll stay up for a while and make sure nothing goes wrong."

"I'm fine," I said, lifting my head off the pillow.

Right then the window shook. "Uhhh, what was that?" I asked, startled.

"What the…" Stephen responded. "Stay here. Sounds like she's trying to get in again."

"Wait, Stephen!" I shouted under my breath. "What if she has a gun or something?"

"I'll knock her out," he laughed and stepped closer to the door, peering outside through the peephole. "I can't see anything."

I got up off the couch and stood behind him at the door. "Maybe she left."

A loud pounding was at the front door. "Don't move, Em." Stephen creaked the door open. "Who are you?" he asked.

"Stephen, who is it?" I rested my hand on his shoulder to look outside.

Stephen backed up as Tom stepped forward into the apartment. [i]Fuc.k.[/i]

"Tom?"

"Emma…" he said, looking at me concerned.

"What are you doing here?"

"Rob asked me to check on the apartment and make sure you were at Amanda and Keeana's," he replied.

"Oh," I stated. "Well, Amanda and Keeana are both out tonight, so I asked Stephen to come over to stay with me. Everything is fine here."

"Hmm," Tom murmured. He wasn't convinced.


	72. Chapter 72

CHAPTER 72

Emma's Point-of-View

"Hey man, I'm Stephen," Stephen politely introduced himself to Tom, holding his hand out to shake.

Tom shook his hand, but eyed me suspiciously. "Tom."

"Nice to meet you. So you're a friend of Rob's?" he asked him.

"Yeah," he answered. "And Emma's. How do you two know each other?" He looked back and forth between Stephen and me.

"We used to…" Stephen started.

"We're friends," I jumped in, interrupting Stephen,

"Right," Stephen murmured. "Just friends."

"Emma, can I talk to you for a second? Alone," Tom said quietly into my ear, brushing my shoulder with his as he walked by me into the bedroom.

"I'll be right back," I told Stephen. "Just one minute!" I followed Tom into the bedroom and shut the door behind me.

"What were you thinking?" Tom immediately questioned me.

"About what?"

"Inviting him," he gestured to the door. "Why didn't you call me if you needed someone to stay with you."

"I don't know," I said truthfully. "I guess he was just the first person to come to mind. Sorry," I said unconvincingly.

"Not just that, Em. Imagine if Rob had his ex-girlfriend come sleepover while you were gone? How would you like that?"

Now that I think about it that way, Tom does have a point. I'd kill Robert if he had a sleepover with Victoria or Camille or whomever else he has dated. "I wasn't going to do anything with him, Tom. He is just a friend helping me out. That's it!" I didn't know why I had to defend myself. It's not like I was actually going to jeopardize what I had with Rob for my past.

"Ok, whatever Emma. I'm just saying that maybe next time you should think about Rob before you start inviting your ex's over for slumber parties regardless if you're just friends with them or not," Tom said sternly.

"Ok, I will. I promise," I told him. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize to me," he laughed. "If anything you should be thanking me for not telling Rob about this."

"Thanks Tom," I playfully hit him in the arm. "You're the best."

"Emma!" Stephen knocked on the bedroom door.

"One minute," I called.

He knocked again. "No, come out [i]now[/i]," he said fiercely.

I looked at Tom who shrugged his shoulders. Tom opened the door and Stephen was standing directly outside. "She's here," he whispered, pointing down the hallways.

"What?!" I shouted.

"Sh," he quieted me. "You stay here. Tom and I will take care of it." Tom followed Stephen out into the living room.

"But…" I was quieted by Tom shutting the door in my face.

Well, this sucks. Why do they get to deal with all the excitement and I have to stay cooped up in my room? I plopped down on the bed and sat Indian-style facing the door, wishing I had super strength vision and see what was going on past it in the living room.

All of this talk about Rob was really making me miss him. It was already eleven there so he should be calling soon to say goodnight. I searched my pocket for my phone, but realized it was on the coffee table in the living room. [i]Dam.n it.[/i]

I quietly opened the bedroom door enough for me to see out. "Emma," Tom said sternly. [i]How the hell did he see me?[/i]

"Fine," I muttered and shut the door.

Robert's Point-of-View

Tonight was my last night in New York. Tomorrow I'd be flying back to Los Angeles and hopefully clearing things up with the whole Victoria mess. I couldn't deal with her anymore.

It was about one o'clock in the morning when I got back to my hotel room from the bar. I was a little drunk, thanks to Kellan's influence and wallet. The more he drank, the more generous he got. Stupid bastard.

I slipped off my old tennis shoes and found my bed somewhere in the dark room. I switched on the desk lamp right beside me and pulled my phone out of my jacket's pocket. The numbers were blurred, but I managed to dial Emma's phone.

"Hey baby," she answered.

"Em?" I asked. She sounded different.

"Uh huh," she laughed. "Are you drunk again, babe?"

"A little," I chuckled and leaned back against the bed. I heard a door slam in the background. "What are you doing? Are you with Keeana and Amanda?"

"Who? No. I'm just hanging out with some of the guys, you remember Stephen, don't you?" she asked.

"Stephen as in…" I started.

"That's the one!" she giggled. "I missed him."

"Is he staying with you at the house?" I asked her grimly.

"Mhmm."

What the hell was her problem? She was acting really strange, and it's not just because I was drunk. "Em, what are you doing?"

"What?" she questioned. "Oh, Robby, I need to go now. I will see you when you get back. When do you get back again?"

"Tomorrow," I said harshly and hung up the phone.

Emma's Point-of-View

I stormed out of my room, not caring that Tom and Stephen both glared at me as I got closer to Victoria. "What are you two doing just standing there!" I yelled at them.

Tom came up to me. "I don't know what to do with her. I can't beat a woman," he whispered to me.

"Well, I can." I walked towards her, but she continued out the front door, slamming it in my face. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"Just calm down, Em," Stephen assured me.

Less than a minute later, Victoria waltzed back into the apartment and handed me the phone. "He didn't even know it wasn't you," she laughed. "Some fiancé he is. You two must know each other [i]really[/i] well."

"What the hell do you want from me?"

"This," she smiled, holding up my left hand and pointing to my ring. "This ring is mine."

"You are sick!" I told her. "Get out of my house!"

"Did you know he asked me to marry him?" she asked me. Tom rubbed the back of his neck and took a seat on the couch. "Right before he met you."

My face turned cold and pale.

"But I was stupid and told him I wasn't ready for a serious commitment like that. I mean, we had only been dating for about six months; the proposal was completely unexpected."

I turned to Tom, hoping for some reassurance. For him to tell me she was crazy and lying to my face, but he sat there quietly, his fingers massaging his temples.

"You see, Emma. I was his first love. You were just the first girl he set eyes on after [i]I[/i] ended things with [i]him[/i]."

"You're lying," I told her.

"Fine, don't believe me." She took a closer look at the ring on my finger. "Yup, that's the one. The same exact ring I refused. But I want it back, Emma."


	73. Chapter 73

CHAPTER 73

Emma's Point-of-View

The boys spent the night last night, Stephen in the guest room and Tom on the pullout couch in the living room. After Vic had left, we weren't sure if she'd come back. I tried not to think about what she had said to me. Deep down, I wanted to believe that Rob hadn't lied to me or reused the ring he once gave Victoria, but by Tom's silence I wasn't sure I was believing the truth.

By morning, I had forgotten about last night; pushed those memories out of my head because today Rob was coming home. Nothing mattered but what was in the now. I showered and put on some dark-washed jeans, white tank, beige sweater, and some flats. I let my hair fall straight down my back and pinned my bangs back.

When I walked out into the living room, Tom was still asleep on the couch and the guest bedroom door was still shut. "Tom," I shook him.

He moaned and rotated a little on the mattress.

"Rise and shine!" I said to him. "You have to leave before I get back with Rob."

"Huh, ok," he mumbled and sat halfway up.

"And make sure you wake up Stephen too," I told him.

"K."

"All right, bye Tom." I grabbed my purse and car keys and headed out the door. I had about twenty minutes before I was supposed to pick Rob up from LAX so I decided to stop at Starbucks on the way and order us both drinks. No doubt he's going to be exhausted.

As I was picking up our drinks from the barista, my phone vibrated in my purse. [i]Crap, did he land early?[/i] I couldn't check my phone until I got in the car because my hands were full. I set them down in the cup holders between the seats and then pulled my phone out of the side pocket of my purse. It was a text from Rob. "Don't bother picking me up, I got a ride."

Huh. Someone must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed. All the excitement of seeing him disappeared. [i]Why did he have to be such a jackass sometimes?[/i]

I texted him back. "Ok…I guess I'll see you at home. Love you."

As I was driving back home, I received a text from him that read, "Yeah, I guess so."

I didn't even bother texting him back. Something was bothering him and I guess I'd find out when he got home. I hated how he always took his frustrations out on me. It's not like I did anything wrong. [i]I[/i] was the one who had to deal with his psycho ex's problems, [i]not him[/i]. He should be thanking me.

When I arrived back at the apartment, Tom and Stephen were already gone and everything was neatly back into place. I sat down at the island and drank my coffee as I waited for Rob to get home.

Once I had finished my coffee, I took a sip of Rob's, which was already cold. I stood up and walked around the counter and poured in down into the sink. The front door handle started to wobble, indicating that he was finally home. I didn't bother going to help him with the door; I just stood in the kitchen, finishing cleaning up. The door swung open and Rob dumped his suitcase on the ground in the entryway. I turned around to look at him, he looked sad. "Hey," I smiled.

He didn't answer me.

I didn't know if I should go up to him and give him a hug or if I should just leave him alone. I cleared my throat and dried off my hands. "How was your flight?"

"Fine," he replied and sat down on the couch. "How was your night last night with Stephen?"

How did he know about that? Tom said he wasn't going to…[i]Victoria.[/i] "It was fine," I answered in the same way he answered me. "Stephen [i]and[/i] Tom came over last night to take care of the Victoria mess."

"And what mess is that?" he asked rudely.

"She came over last night," I told him. "She took my phone and…"

"Wait? She had your phone?" he turned to me and asked.

I nodded.

"Did you talk to me last night?" he questioned.

"No, I told you. Victoria took my phone," I said sternly.

"So I wasn't talking to you last night?" he clarified.

"No!" I shouted.

"Shi.t," he said under his breath. "Sorry, Em. I thought…nevermind. Come here." he pulled me close to him and pushed his lips against mine in a fiery kiss. "I'm so sorry I was being such a dic.k. Did she do anything else to you?" he asked, concerned, pulling a strand of my hair that had fallen in front of my face behind my ear.

"She didn't [i]do[/i] anything, per say, but she did say some things to me," I said sadly.

"Like what?"

"She said that you proposed to her and that this ring was hers first," I played with the ring on my finger. "She's lying though, right?"

Rob walked towards he couch, pulling his hair back as he moved.

"Rob," I repeated. "Tell me the truth."


	74. Chapter 74

CHAPTER 74

Emma's Point-of-View

"Does the past even matter?" Robert glared at me.

"What matters is that you lied to me," I told him sternly.

"I didn't lie to you Emma, I just didn't tell you every nitty gritty detail of my relationship with Victoria. Is that what you want to know?" he asked angrily.

"I just don't want you to have to hide things from me," I said softly, looking down at the carpet below me. I could see my hands shaking, but I couldn't feel them.

Rob took a deep breath. "You weren't the first girl I asked to marry me," he said.

"You told me I was the first girl you fell in love with," I whispered. "You told me Victoria was just some girl you hooked up with. Nothing serious."

"Ok, Emma. I did love her, a lot. Or at least I thought I did. I proposed to her, but she turned me down; told me she didn't want to get that serious yet. So, we took a break. I barely even spoke to her. I thought things were finished for good. And that's when I met you. You were sitting all alone in the restaurant. I felt sorry for you because that's exactly how I felt. Completely alone."

"So I was just some charity project?" I shouted; the tears streamed down my cheeks.

"No," he assured me, reaching his hand out to my shoulder.

I flinched and moved away from him. "Don't touch me."

"Emma. This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you anything. I knew this would happen. Let me explain."

I stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"When I first saw you at the restaurant, you reminded me of myself. There was a connection there. I wanted to know you. That was the best decision I have ever made in my life. You have helped me in so many ways to become a better person. You are my one true love, Emma."

The tears welled up in my eyes. I didn't know what to do or who to believe. There were too many sides to the story. I couldn't think straight. "This ring," I said, slipping it off my finger. "Is it the same one you used to propose to Victoria?"

"Yes, but that shouldn't matter. What difference does it make? In the end, it will be you walking down the aisle towards me, not her."

"It makes all the difference in the world!" I laughed out of frustration. How idiotic could he be? "This ring doesn't belong to me, it belongs to her." I opened up Rob's hand and put the ring on his palm.

I grabbed my keys and headed out the front door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his face blank with confusion.

"I'm going to stay with Amanda and Keeana until I figure things out," I told him.

"Figure what out? What are you doing Emma?" He was now standing outside my car.

"Bye, Rob," I slammed the door shut and reversed out of the parking space, leaving him and everything I loved behind me.


	75. Chapter 75

CHAPTER 75

Emma's Point-of-View

I called Keeana when I was on the way to her apartment. As the phone rang, my phone beeped, indicating I was receiving another call. I looked at the screen. It was Rob. I put the phone back to my ear and waited for Keeana to answer.

"Hey Emmie! What's up?" she answered happily.

"Hi," I gulped. "Are you home?"

"What's the matter?"

I loved how she always knew when something was wrong. "I'll explain when I get to your apartment. I'm pulling into the parking structure right now."

"Ok, I'll be right there!" She hung up the phone.

After I parked the car and got out, Keeana was right there, throwing her arms around me. "Emmie! Please don't be sad! What's wrong?"

"Everything," I said.

"Come on, let's go inside." She wrapped her arm around my waist and walked with me inside her apartment.

I went straight for the couch. "Do you remember me telling you about Rob's ex-girlfriend, Victoria?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Well, it just so happens that Rob proposed to her only like six months before he proposed to me," I told her.

"No," she gasped.

"It gets better," I forced a laugh. "He proposed to me with the same ring that he used for her."

"Are you serious?!" Keeana exclaimed. "That's bullshit!"

"I know! And this chick is psychotic and came back to our apartment twice in the past day telling me things like 'That's my ring," and 'I'm going to get it back.'"

"Wow," Keeana said astonished. "Boys are so stupid sometimes. But you can't take things like that to heart. I'm sure it never even phased him that it is wrong to propose to two girls with the same ring."

"But he was saying things tonight that made me feel…I don't know…like his feelings for me weren't genuine. I felt like I was just there when he needed someone to forget about Victoria."

"I'm sure his words just came out wrong, Em. He truly does love you."

"I don't know," I sighed. "I just don't know what to do about the whole Victoria thing. I want to work things out with Rob, but I won't do it until Victoria is completely out of his life."

"Well you can stay here as long as you'd like. Mi casa es su casa," she smiled.

"Thank Keeana. You're the best."

My phone started vibrating. It was Rob again. "Are you going to answer?" she asked me.

I picked up my phone, turned it off, and then set it on the coffee table. "Not tonight."

* * *

The next morning I woke up in Amanda's bed. It was déjà vu; waking up in my old bedroom. Keeana was still sleeping. It was her day off of work so she was sleeping in. I made myself a cup of tea and sat down on the couch, turning my phone back on. I had fourteen missed calls and two text messages. All the calls but two were from Rob. The other two were from Tom. Both of the texts were from Rob. The first one read, "Emma, please come home." The second one said, "Goodnight baby, I love you."

I shut my phone closed and tossed it back on the table.

"Good morning." Keeana stumbled out of the bedroom and plopped down next to me on the couch. "Feeling any better?"

"Eh," I answered.

My phone started vibrating. "Ugh, stupid phone." I almost chucked it against the wall, but realized it was just my mom. "Hey mom," I said, trying to sound content.

"Hey hun. Sorry to call so early." Her voice shook with each word.

"Mom, what's up?"

"It's your sister, baby."

My heart dropped.

"She's not doing too well," her voice cracked. "Hold on."

My dad got on the phone. "Emma, do you think you'd be able to come home for a few days?"

I couldn't voice the words. My mouth would open, but no sound would come out.

"Em?"

"Ok," I replied and hung up the phone.

I didn't even have to tell Keeana what was going on. She already knew. "Come on, let's go. I'll drive you to the airport."

I grabbed my bag, making sure I had my wallet and phone and followed Keeana out the front door. When I walked outside, countless bouquets of flowers filled the outside of the apartment.

"Oh. My. God," Keeana gasped, bending down to read the tag. "They're all from Rob."

The tears spilled from my eyes. I wiped them away as I sped towards the parking structure. Keeana dropped me off at the airport. "Are you sure you don't want me to come?" she asked.

I shook my head.

"Ok, call me if you need anything. I love you Em." She gave me a hug before I rushed out of the car, heading towards the terminal.


	76. Chapter 76

CHAPTER 76

Robert's Point-of-View

A week has gone by since Emma walked out on me. I have called her three times a day, once when I first wake up, a second time in the afternoon, and lastly right before I went to bed. After the first two days of calling and leaving messages, I started calling merely because I needed to hear her voice on her answering machine. "This is Emma. I can't get to the phone right now, but leave a message and I will call you back!" Her voice was so sweet and enthusiastic. I pictured her smiling as she said those words.

I sighed and pressed the "End" key on my cell phone. Her phone had been off for the past three days, going straight to voicemail. I figured she needed her space to think about things and she'd call me when she was ready to talk.

Meanwhile, I spent most of my time rereading some of my favorite books during the day, trying to keep my mind off of Emma. I twirled the ring in my finger, examining every detail of its cut. It was an antique, beautifully adorned with a diamond. My grandfather had given it to my grandmother when he proposed to her. When she passed away, she left it to her only grandson, me. She told me to give it to the girl that I loved the most, whose smile I couldn't live without.

At first I thought that girl was Victoria. She was easily the most gorgeous girl that had ever given me any attention whatsoever. I think that's what attracted me most to her – she was the one who initiated everything. At twenty-one, I didn't know what love was, but I thought I loved her. Now I realize it was purely lust; there was nothing of substance. I liked to read, write and play music, have intellectually conversations. Victoria, on the other hand, liked to look at herself in the mirror, hang out at the high-end clubs and bars just to get photographed, and get complimented [i]all[/i] the time. But I was in denial. My friends' praise and jealousy made me feel empowered and confident. I never recognized any of the falseness until after the fact.

And then there was Emma. She was the exact opposite of Victoria. Sweet and shy, but also very outgoing with an intriguing sense of humor. Emma never lost an argument and her wit was undeniably genius. She was quick on her tongue and I loved that about her. She hated compliments, even though she deserved more than she received. She was a natural beauty. I loved when she just wore jeans, a t-shirt, and no makeup at all. Emma appreciated my music as an art, not just a means to an end. An end being fame and money. What I loved most about her was her compassion towards her family, her friends, her education and future, and me.

I didn't even remember what I had just read, but it didn't matter. I'd read it twice before. I chucked the book on the loveseat and grabbed my keys.

Emma's Point-of-View

I knew all I had to do was pick up my phone and call Rob and he would be here with me in a matter of hours, but I just couldn't get myself to do it.

Instead, I poured all of the little energy that I had into taking care of Holly. The doctor ordered her to bed rest for her last days with us. Thankfully, she didn't have to spend them in the hospital. Tom paid for a nurse and all the equipment for her room at our house in San Francisco. That way she'd be in a more comfortable environment.

Tom arrived yesterday afternoon and planned to live in the guest room as long as my parents allowed. We didn't talk about Rob. He knew I didn't want to think about that right now, but honestly, I did. The timing just wasn't right. I had my sister to worry about; Rob came second.

"So who's coming today?" Tom asked me as we sat in the guest room.

"My cousins," I sighed, flipping through a magazine. "Be prepared. They are [i]quite[/i] the bunch."

He laughed. "How so?"

"Just loud and obnoxious. I swear their ears need to be checked," I told him.

"I'm sure they aren't [i]that[/i] bad."

"Ha. You'll see," I said. I jumped off the bed and walked out the door. "I'm going to go see if Holly needs anything."

"Can I go?" Tom asked. "I want to talk to her."

"Sure," I smiled. "I'll just be downstairs waiting for my cousins. Come get me if you need anything."

Since my sister has been sick, both of my parents have had to work extra hours in order to pay for all of her treatments. They were gone most days, leaving me alone with Holly, and now Tom. That's why they asked my three cousins to come and visit, Mark, Taylor, and Cody. They were all older than me, in their late twenties.

I heard a screeching noise outside. [i]The lunatics must be here.[/i] I looked out the front window and sure enough, Larry, Mo, and Curly were waltzing up to the door. I opened it before they could ring the doorbell and wake Holly if she was asleep.

"Little cuz!" Taylor shouted, squeezing me so I could hardly breathe.

"Hi guys," I said, holding the door open for them.

"Where's my favorite aunt and uncle?" Cody asked, walking straight into the kitchen and searching through the panty.

"At work," I muttered, already annoyed by them.

"Hey, you want to make us some nachos?" Cody asked, tossing a package of cheese on the counter. "I'm starving."

"Sure," I sighed. "You guys just sit down and watch some football. I'll bring the food right to you," I said sarcastically.

"Thanks Em!" Mark yelled from the couch.

The next few days were exactly the same. I was growing tired of catering to their every need. I swear the three of them were going to get bedsores from sitting on their asses all day. I couldn't even remember why they were even here. They were more of a nuisance than a help.

"Hey Emma! Can you bring us another round of beers?" Taylor shouted from the couch. They were watching hockey. Well at least they changed it up from football; I'll give them that.

I brought over three ice-cold beers and handed them each one. "Do you think you guys could help around the house a little? I need someone to go to the grocery store and get some more food and the dishes need to be done."

"Uh huh, sure," Cody replied, not taking his eyes off the screen.

I ran upstairs into my bedroom, exhausted and irritated. I laid down on my bed and tried to even out my breathing. I was a mess.

Robert's Point-of-View

"Tom? Where are you?" I asked through the phone.

"Erm. I'm in San Francisco?" he answered questionably.

"Visiting Holly?" I presumed.

"Uh, yeah."

"How is she doing?" I asked him.

"Not very good, man," he whispered, his voice shaking. "The doctor gave her three to five months."

"What?" I gulped. I spun around the room until I found my bed, plopping down onto it. "You mean…?"

"Yeah," he replied sadly. "I'll probably be up here for the time being just to keep her company and spend time with her."

"Is…?" I started.

"Emma's here. She's been here for about a week now."

Emma's Point-of-View

I guess I fell asleep last night when I came up to my room to relax because I woke up early the next morning with the sun shining brightly into my window. I looked around my room, stretching, as I fully woke up and then got onto my feet and headed downstairs.

It was oddly quiet, except for the sound of running water coming from the kitchen. There was no sound of the television broadcasting the latest football game play-by-play or the banging of beer glasses on the glass-covered coffee table.

The living room was cleared of all trash and beer bottles and the pillows and cushioned were all straightened out. I guess the boys finally got it through their heads to help out around here.

I walked into the kitchen, recognizing the figure standing before the sink doing the dishes; I just couldn't believe it. The jeans hugged his bottom perfectly and that black and grey-checkered sweatshirt's sleeves were rolled up so he wouldn't get them wet.

He slowly turned around, having heard me come from around the corner. He smiled shyly, "Hi."

A tear rolled down my cheek, but my face lit up in a bright smile. I ran up to him and he lifted me up, hugging me closely. He was exactly what I needed all along.


	77. Chapter 77

CHAPTER 77

Emma's Point-of-View

"Why…How…What are you doing here?" I asked Rob as he continued to hold me tightly, my feet slightly off the wood flooring in the kitchen.

He gently let go and placed me back on my feet. "I came to be with you," he said softly. "I know you're mad at me, but I wanted you to know that I am always here for you. No matter what happens between us I will always love you Emma."

I sat down on the stool of the island. "What do you mean 'No matter what happens?'"

He took my hand in his and lightly caressed it with his thumb. "I don't know where we stand right now," he said. "After what happened…the whole mess with Victoria…I would understand if you don't want to be with me."

"What?" I questioned him. "No. That's not what I want at all," I cried. "I want you." I stood up and placed a kiss on his cold lips.

A smile spread across his face. "You are all I want too." He kissed my forehead before attending to the dishes once again.

"Don't worry about those. I got it," I told him. "Why don't you go check on Holly. I'm sure Tom is with her."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

He tilted my chin so my face was to his and kissed me while my hands still remained in the soapy water in the sink.

Once I finished the dishes, I turned on the dishwasher and dried my hands on the dishtowel that was lying on the counter. I ran up the stairs and opened up the door to Holly's room. She was all alone asleep in her bed. I shut the door quietly and checked for Rob and Tom in the guest bedroom. Tom was sitting at the end of the bed and Rob was seated at the desk chair, which was pulled out to face Tom. "Sorry," I said as I began to close the door. I didn't want to interrupt on whatever they were talking about.

"It's ok, Em. Come on in," Tom waved me inside.

I closed the door behind me. "Come here, babe," Rob gestured me over to him. I took a seat on his lap, my legs hanging off the side of the chair. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the side of my face.

"What were you guys talking about?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing," Tom replied shortly. His eyes were fixated on his feet.

I peered up at Rob looking for an answer. He just shook his head.

"I'm going to go check on Holly," Tom said. He got up off the bed and headed towards the door.

"She's asleep," I told him, but my words didn't even faze him; he continued his way to her room.

"Is he okay?" I asked Rob once Tom was gone.

He ran his hand through his hair. "I couldn't imagine losing you," he said seriously, hugging me closer. "Tom's miserable."

I didn't have anything to say. I knew Tom loved my sister. Even when he knew that she was sick, he loved her anyway. He didn't walk away.

I pray every night that her sickness is just a horrible misunderstanding; that at her next appointment, the doctor will tell us that they made a mistake, that she was going to survive this after all. But each day I see her suffer more and more and realize that my hopes are not a reality.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Rob interrupted my thoughts.

I nodded and hopped off his lap.

As we were leaving, my three cousins were arriving back at the house. "Where have you guys been?" I asked as they were getting out of black huge SUV.

Taylor stepped out of the driver's seat. "This guy sent us on a shopping trip," he pointed to Rob.

I looked up at Rob who shrugged. "I was hungry and there was no food in your house," he laughed.

I laughed and turned back to the boys. "Thank you guys. We'll be back in an hour or so. Please try to keep the noise down, Holly is sleeping."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Cody mumbled. "When are we ever going to see Holly anyway? That dude never leaves her alone."

I could hear Rob growl under his breath. "I'll be sure you guys get to see her when we get back," I told them. I grabbed Rob's hand in mine and walked down the long driveway to the sidewalk.

"You okay?" Rob asked me.

"I'm okay, I mean, I'm not great. But I think, or at least I hope, I'm handling things all right."

He squeezed my hand. "You're handling things really well, Em. I'm proud of you. But you know if you [i]ever[/i] feel vulnerable, you can open up to me. You don't need to be strong all time. It's okay to cry."

"I know, trust me, you've seen me cry," I laughed. "I just feel like I need to be strong for Holly's sake. If she sees me crying or depressed she'll just get stressed out because she knows why. I just want to act like everything is fine."

Rob rubbed his hand up and down my back, comforting me. "Holly's a brave girl," he said quietly.

I nodded, agreeing with him. "Yeah, she is."

Rob and I sat down under the oak tree that displayed the initials of my two best friends and I. For a minute, it was silent until Rob spoke up. "Listen," he started. "About the whole ring thing."

"It's ok, Rob. I overreacted," I interjected.

"No, no you didn't." He pulled the ring out of the pocket of his jacket and twirled it around between his fingers. "But you didn't give me a chance to explain something about this ring. I should have told you when I gave it to you, but it was all a little overwhelming. You see, this was the same exact ring my grandfather gave my grandmother when he proposed to her. When she passed away two years ago, she left me it, hoping I'd find a girl to give it to and to share the rest of my life with. That girl is you, Emma."

He held out the ring in front of me, waiting for my response. I felt like a complete moron for being so dramatic over a ring; a ring that meant a lot to Robert and his family.

"Do you want it back?" he asked, laughing. His hand was still extended in front of me.

"Can I?" I asked shyly.

"I'm asking the questions here," he chuckled. "Now do you want to be my wife or not?" he asked playfully.

"More than anything in the world," I smiled. "Yes!"

"Ok, then. That's all you had to say," he grinned. "Now stand up, let's do this right."

I stood up and brushed the dirt off my bottom. Rob remained seated on the ground, but he rotated himself so he was on one knee in front of me. He slid the ring onto my ring finger. "Perfect. Now don't go taking it off again. I don't want to have to superglue it to your finger. That ring is yours now, always has been," he laughed and stood up. "Now I have one more thing I want to show you."


	78. Chapter 78

CHAPTER 78

Emma's Point-of-View

"More surprises?" I asked smiling.

"Just one more, promise," he replied. He stuck his hands nervously into his pockets and continued to walk down the street adjacent to the park.

"Do you even know where you're going?" I questioned him. I hadn't shown him around this part of the neighborhood when he came to visit last.

"Pretty sure," he grinned. "Come on." He humorously swung his elbow at my arm.

I struggled to keep up with him as he strutted down the road. He always walked fast when he was anxious. Or maybe he was just excited for whatever he was going to show me. He started walking backwards so he was facing me. "So?" he shrugged his shoulders. "What do you think?"

"Erm, of what?" I asked confused.

Rob ambled back over to me and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards where he was standing. "This," he said gesturing to a small little house behind him.

"The house?" I questioned. "It's nice, I guess. Why?" I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.

"[i]Our[/i] house," he said with a crooked smile.

"Did you say [i]our[/i] house?" I asked, pointing to him and then to me.

He nodded, his mouth still hanging open waiting for my reaction.

I couldn't help the huge smile that spread across my face as I walked past Rob up the front steps, admiring everything about the house. It was beautiful; it reminded me of the little cottage we shared in Italy. "Can we…is it…?" I asked, motioning to the door.

Rob pulled his keys out of his pocket and handed them to me, holding the house key out. "Go ahead," he smiled. Rob waited behind me as I unlocked the door. I pushed it open and stepped inside. It looked so much bigger on the inside, but that was probably because it was completely empty.

I let out a little girl squeal that made Rob chuckle. With a smile on my face, I jumped into Rob's arms and kissed him.

"I take it you like it," he laughed.

"I love love love it!" I told him. I grabbed his hand and led him through the rest of the downstairs to the kitchen, the living room, family room, and dining room. "Where's the bedroom?" I asked ecstatically.

"Right this way," he grinned and pulled me up the stairwell. He opened up the door that was the furthest down the hallway. "Here we are."

I slipped past him inside the room. "It's huge!" I said.

"Wait until you see the closet," he laughed, eyeing the door to my left.

My jaw dropped as I opened it up and walked inside. "I'm in heaven," I exclaimed. It had to have been four times the size of the one in our little apartment's. I walked towards the end of it, stunned at how far back it went. When I turned around, Rob was leaning against the opening of the closet, an incredible smile on his face as he watched me in my amazement. "Why did you do this, though?" I asked. "I mean, I go to school in LA and you have work there. I don't get it."

"Well I figured we'd stay here for the summer. You're going to want to be with your family, but we certainly can't live in your parents' house…" he began.

"And why is that?" I inquired, striding towards him.

"Because then I can't do this," he said softly as he brushed my hair back and kissed my neck. "Or this." He pushed me up against the wall and pressed his hands against my hips, continuing to kiss me. "Not even this," he smirked as he pushed his lips to mine, engaging me in a deep and passionate kiss.

"Good call," I let out as soon as I caught my breath.


	79. Chapter 79

CHAPTER 79

Emma's Point-of-View

"So," I said walking around the spacious bedroom. "What now?"

Rob rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm. I really don't know," he replied sheepishly. "I suppose we need a bed for starters. We can go on from there."

"Yup," I agreed. "Bed is a must."

"I thought I saw a mattress store kind of by the airport," he muttered, casually leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, we can go there," I told him.

We walked all the way back to my house, a good twenty-five minutes. "I'll get the keys to the SUV from the boys. I'll be right out," I said.

I rushed inside and grabbed the keys off the kitchen counter. "Where are you going?" Cody asked me, looking back at me from the couch. They were playing video games and eating popcorn. I seriously wondered what they were doing with their lives, but I was just thankful that they at least put all the refrigerated groceries away, I'd put the other stuff away later.

"Going to pick up a few things with Rob. I'll see you guys later," I said as I walked out the door that I had left open.

"Do you want to drive or should I?" I asked him.

"Hm," Rob said taking a look at the car. "It's a bit big."

"I'll drive," I rolled my eyes.

"No, no, let me. It can't be that bad." He took the keys from my hand and clicked the unlock button. Once we were both inside, he started the ignition and pulled the lever into reverse. "Camilla is going to stay at our apartment until we get back."

"Really? Why?" I asked.

"House sitting," he answered. "Just keeping an eye on things. She's also going to ship some of our things. I figured since we'd be here for the rest of the summer you'd need some of your clothes," he said as he backed down the driveway.

"Oh, thanks," I replied and gazed out the window, watching as the houses passed by quickly as we drove past them. I wasn't sure why I was being so quiet. I guess I was still in shock. A part of me felt like I was growing up way too fast. I was twenty-years old and already engaged and living in a gorgeous house of my own. Most people my age were in college, living in a rundown apartment, trying to make ends meet by working late-hour shifts at restaurants.

"You're not mad are you?" he asked me.

I brought my attention back to him. "No not at all," I told him. "Why would I be mad?"

Rob laughed. "I just bought a fuckking house."

"Yeah," I laughed. "You did."

"Wow."

"What exactly were you thinking?" I asked him, still laughing a little.

"I have no fuccking clue." He ran his hand through his messy hair. "I was in the moment, I guess. I thought it would be the right thing to do. For us, I mean, to be together."

I looked at him, bewildered. "You can't buy a new house every time you mess up," I laughed.

He shook his head, smirking as he pulled into the parking lot of the mattress store. As soon as we walked inside, the little bell on the door rang, sending a salesperson straight to us. "Good evening. How may I help you two today?"

"Oh, we're just looking," I told him.

"Ok, let me know if you need anything," he said and walked back around to the other side of the desk.

Rob and I walked up and down the rows of mattresses, testing each one as it came. "What kind of beds do you like?" I asked him as I strolled down the aisle.

He was walking a little behind me, his hands shoved in his jacket as always. "One's with you in it," he whispered in my ear.

"I meant like hard or soft," I told him. "The one in our apartment is kind of firm."

"I honestly don't care. I could sleep in a cardboard box as long as I'm next to you."

I tried not to smile at his cheesiness. "Well I kind of like the one in our apartment." I sat down on one of the mattresses. "Here. What about this one?"

Rob sat down next to me and leaned back, pulling me back with him. He stared at me in the eyes. "Feels perfect to me."

I sat back up and jumped off the end of the bed. "We'll take this one," I pointed to the mattress that Rob was still laying on.

The man hurried over to us to check the number on the tag and then rung us up at the cash register. "$915 for the whole set," he told Rob.

"Jesus," he laughed quietly to himself, shaking his head. He handed his credit card to the salesman.

"Thank you Mr. Pattinson," he said as he returned his card to Rob. "Let me go to the back and bring it out for you."

The man carried out a huge white mattress and placed it against the wall. "Thank you," Rob said as he tried to pick it up.

"There's one more piece," the man said. "You need the box spring."

"The box what?" Rob asked out of breath as he set the mattress down near the exit of the store.

The man came back out with another thing that looked exactly like a mattress.

"We don't need two," Rob told the man. "We sleep in the same bed," he referred to him and me. Rob shot me a puzzled glance.

The sales man laughed. "No, this is the box spring. It goes under the mattress in the frame of the bed."

Rob and I both blushed in embarrassment. "Oh," he replied. "We only need the mattress. We don't have an actual bed yet," he chuckled.

Once we got everything sorted out and Rob got some of his money back for the box spring, we packed the car up with the mattress and headed back to our new house.

I helped Rob haul the mattress up the steep steps and threw it down on the floor in the middle of our master bedroom. He immediately plopped down on to it. "I'm exhausted."

I slipped my sandals off and laid down next to him. "I can't believe how huge this room looks when it's empty," I said as I looked around the room.

"And dark," Rob laughed. The electricity wouldn't be turned on until tomorrow. "Hold on. I'll be right back," he told me.

When he returned to the room, I was sitting with my long legs crossed out in front of me, my hands behind me holding me up.

Rob lit three candles in the corner of the room, which gave off just enough light to expose his face in the darkness. He sat down across from me on the floor and pulled out his guitar. He started playing the song he wrote for me. When he was done, he put his guitar back in its case and came back to where I was seated. He pressed his lips to mine, slowly taking me down towards the bare mattress. "I love you," he grinned.


	80. Chapter 80

CHAPTER 80

Emma's Point-of-View

"Shitt," I exclaimed, breaking away from our steamy make-out session.

"What?" Rob groaned.

"The car."

He sighed. "Do you really think they need the car this late? It's almost eleven, where are they going to go? Besides they sit on their asses all day anyway. What are the chances of them actually getting up?"

I laughed, but answered him seriously. "My parents are going to be wondering where we are when they get home from work."

"Which is exactly why I bought a house, Em. I'm twenty-three years old; I don't want to have to worry about what your parents are thinking all the time."

"I'm sorry," I apologized softly and laid back down on the mattress.

"We can go back if you want," he said sincerely. "But after tonight, we'll live under our own roof here, ok?"

"I want to stay here," I told him and pulled him into a fiery kiss.

* * *

Rob's Point-of-View

The next morning I woke up before Emma. [i]That's a first.[/i] The sun was shining through the huge window in the master bedroom. We definitely needed to install some blinds and drapes today.

I rolled off the side of the mattress onto the floor, trying not to wake her. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep last night. A bare mattress with no blankets and jeans on. I would have taken the jeans and sweatshirt off but it was so damn cold without any blankets. We probably would have been better off sleeping at her parents' house.

I walked down the stairs into the kitchen and checked my phone that was sitting on the counter. I didn't expect any missed called; no one ever called me, but to my surprise I had seven. Pulling the box of cigarettes from my back pocket, I walked outside to the back patio, lighting my cigarette before checking my messages.

[i]First message sent today at 10:49pm.[/i] "Rob it's me, Tom. Where the hell are you and Emma?" he said frantically out of breath. "Holly's in the hospital. I don't know if…" he was interrupted my a faint voice I could barely hear in the background. "Tom?" Tom answered her, "I'm right here, baby. I'll be back in just a second." I heard footsteps and then Tom again. "Rob, I know you want to spend alone time with Emma, but seriously get your ass over here." And hung up.

[i]Funk.[/i] I took a deep inhale of my cigarette and then blew out. I didn't even want to know what the other voicemails said. I tilted my head back, hitting the cement wall behind me. I stayed here for a few minutes, thinking about how I was going to possibly explain this to Emma. I came to the conclusion that I was funked.

The sliding glass door opened and Emma was standing there shaking. I put the cigarette out and left it on the cement ground below me. "My parents called," she said. "eleven times last night and twice this morning."

[i]Shitt. Think of something. God, you're a dickk. Do something![/i] I cursed myself. "Let's go," I told her, grabbing her hand and the keys off the counter. I didn't even bother locking the door behind me, not like there was anything to steal anyways.

"Where is the hospital?" I asked her.

She was silent, still trembling in her seat as she pulled her seatbelt on.

"Emma, where is the damnn hospital?!" I asked louder and angrier this time. She didn't deserve that, but I was freaking out. I didn't know how to handle situations like this.

"Turn left," she whispered. I followed her instructions. I kept one hand on the steering wheel and the other hand holding Emma's. "Now a right and it's right there straight ahead," she pointed to the huge white building about fifty yards in front of us. I sped into the parking lot and parked the car in the first empty spot I saw.

"Rob?" Emma asked as I turned the engine off.

"Yeah, sweetie?"

"Thank you."

"For what?" I asked.

"Everything," she sighed as she took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from crying. But it didn't work. The tears streamed down her face.

"I would do anything for you. I love you, Emma."

"I love you too," she said, catching her breath.

"If you aren't ready to go in, we can wait in here until you are," I told her. Truthfully, I wasn't even ready to go in and face the reality of the situation.

"No, I want to go see her."

I went around to open her car door to let her out. I held old my hand and guided her into the waiting room. Inside, I saw Tom sitting by himself and Emma's three cousins buying some snacks out of the vending machine.

Tom looked up and rushed over to us. "Where the hell have you two been?"

I glared at him.

"Where are my mom and dad?" Emma asked quietly.

"Talking to the doctor," Tom told her with a little more sympathy.

"Can I go see Holly?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course," Tom answered.

"I'll go with you," I told her, wrapping my arm around her waist to comfort her.

"No, it's ok. I want to go alone," she explained.

I nodded and kissed her softly on the forehead before following Tom back to the waiting chairs.

Emma's Point-of-View

I walked slowly down the hallway, peering into the rooms, trying to find my sister. It was heartbreaking – I passed an elderly woman patiently waiting by her husband's side, who was hooked up to countless machines. In another room, there was a young boy around my age on life support – his family surrounding him, begging for him to wake up.

And then I found Holly. She was lying peacefully on her bed reading Seventeen Magazine. I told myself to be strong – I needed her to know I was going to be fine; that I was going to be all right.

"Hi Holly."

"Emma!" she smiled weakly.

I choked up a little, but couldn't help but smile to see her. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, like crap. I'm just really tired." Her voice was dry and low.

I didn't really know what to say. I couldn't exactly say, [i]I hope you feel better[/i] because I knew she never would. It wasn't easy to let go, but I came to realize there was nothing I could do but cherish the last moments I had with my sister. "How are you and Tom?" I changed the subject.

She laughed. "How do you think? I love him, Em, I really do, but it's not fair to him to have to sit with me all day and watch me…die. He should be in London with his friends, not here."

"He's here because he loves you too," I explained to her. "He's never going to leave you."

A tear fell down her pale cheek. "But I'm going to leave him."


	81. Chapter 81

CHAPTER 81

Rob's Point-of-View

I sat next to one of the blue cushioned waiting chairs next to Tom, hunched over with my elbows on my knees. I buried my face in my hands, trying to come to terms with what Tom had just informed me. [i]Holly was dying. Quickly.[/i]

I thought about Emma; how difficult this is going to be for her when her sister is gone. Sure, they had their differences, but they were sisters. They grew up together, singing outside on their driveway and riding bikes around the cul-de-sac. They were meant to grow older together; to share stories of love and friendship. Emma would give her advice when Holly went off to college and when she got her first speeding ticket. Holly was going to be Emma's maid-of-honor in our wedding.

And her parents; they were losing their youngest daughter all too soon. They'll never send her off to college or watch her play volleyball again. Her father will never have the opportunity to walk her down the aisle.

I couldn't even imagine.

And then there was Tom. Miserable didn't even begin to describe his agony. In our many years of being best mates, I've never seen him like this. Sure, he had girlfriends before, but they were all strictly casual. He was in love with Holly. Something about these two Westman girls was hard to get over.

"What am I going to do?" Tom looked at me, the palm of his hand pressed against his forehead. "This is insanity!"

Tom knew it would end like this; I tried to tell him over and over that it would. Not that I didn't want him to get involved with Holly; she was a great girl, my little sister. I loved her. But I hated to see him hurt like this. The pain was inevitable.

"There's nothing you can do but be here for her," I replied calmly. I tried my best not to get choked up. I hated crying.

"That's what I've been doing for months, but it just makes things worse. I can't stand to watch her deteriorate right in front of my eyes," he said sternly. "I can't do it anymore." His voice became hushed.

"Yes you can," I told him. "She needs you and you need her."

"How do you figure? I can't do anything to help her. What she needs is a miracle. I have nothing to give," he exclaimed.

I turned to glance up at him. "Love," I said. "You can give her your love."

"It's not enough," he muttered. "It's not going to save her."

"But it's going to keep her alive longer," I said. "Don't you want her to be happy?"

"Of course."

"Then don't give up on her."

I turned around and saw Emma walking out of the hallway through a group of people. Her arms were hugging her chest and her head was fixated on the white tiled floor.

I got up off my chair and hurried towards her. She walked straight into my arms, burying her head in my chest. I held her against me and kissed the top of her head. "Shh, you're okay," I told her.

She looked up at me and I could feel my eyes beginning to water. "She wants to see you. I'll stay with Tom."

I held her hand and led her to where Tom was seated. "I'll be right back," I told her.

She nodded and turned to talk to Tom.

I walked down the cold lit hallway, my hands submerged in the pockets of my hands and my back bent forward.

Once I found her room, I knocked gently on the door. Holly glanced up and smiled, which I recognized as an invitation to enter. I pulled a seat up to her bedside. "How are you feeling, sis?" I asked her, taking her hand in mine.

She shook her head, trying to hold back the tears. "Not good."

I fell silent. I had no idea what to say.

Holly giggled. "Don't be all nervous, Rob. I'm not going to die right in front of you or something. Calm down."

I flashed her a crooked smile.

"How's Tom?" she asked, peering into my eyes.

My head fell. "Not good…at all, actually."

Holly was about to say something, but she stopped herself.

"He'll be fine though," I assured her. "He's just having a hard time comprehending this right now."

She took a deep breath. "I think he should go home."

"What?" I glanced up at her tear-filled blue eyes. I swear her eyes became bluer when she cried.

"It will be easier that way…for both of us, if he just leaves. I don't want him to see me like this. He should just go back to London and live his life. He doesn't need to worry about me."

"He's not going to do that, Holly. No matter what you say to him, he won't leave. He loves you too much to do that," I told her.

The room became silent.

"It's not fair," she mumbled.

"I know it's not," I said.

"I meant for Tom."

"The only thing that would be unfair to Tom is if you make him leave. He only knows how to love you; just let him do that."

"How can you love someone who is dying? He's just setting himself up for disappointment and it's all my fault. Every time he's with me I just feel guilty. It makes me sick."

"Don't feel that way, Hol. None of this is your fault. We all love you very much, ok?" I kissed her forehead before getting up. "Can I get you anything?"

She shook her head no. "Can you just tell Tom I love him?"

"How about you tell him yourself?" I questioned from the doorway.

"I can't."


	82. Chapter 82

CHAPTER 82

Rob's Point-of-View

[i]But in the end everyone ends up alone

Losing her, the only one who's ever known

Who I am, who I'm not and who I wanna to be

No way to know how long she will be next to me

…You've got some kind of nerve taking all I want[/i]

It's been three months since Holly past away last September. Emma and I left our home in San Francisco and moved back to our apartment in LA so she could attend school and I could work on some little projects I had planned.

Tom returned to London a few weeks after Holly's death; he needed to spend some time alone and find himself. He was completely lost without Holly. It's amazing how much she impacted his life; she changed him for the better.

Emma and I flew up to San Francisco every other weekend to visit with her parents. Holly's room was still exactly the same; her clothes still hung in her closet and her volleyball trophies were still displayed on her shelves. The pictures of her and her friends were getting old, but they brought comfort to everyone because we all knew she had lived a happy life.

It was nearing the end of November and Emma was out of school for Thanksgiving break. Tonight she was coming with me to the Los Angeles premiere of New Moon and tomorrow morning we were leaving for San Francisco to have Thanksgiving with her family. I'd never celebrated Thanksgiving before but I heard the food was amazing.

"I'm going to go pick up my suit from the dry cleaners," I told Emma who was making a cup of green tea. "Do you want to come with me?"

"No thanks. I have a hair appointment in an hour, remember?" she called from the kitchen.

"Oh, right. I'll see you afterwards then. I think I'm going to stop at In-n-Out on my way home, do you want me to get you anything?" I already knew the answer to that question, but I asked anyway, hoping she'd come around. Ever since Holly passed away Emma hasn't been eating anything besides green tea, water, vegetables, and crackers. She had to have lost over fifteen pounds. I missed her curves and her round bottom, but she always claimed she wasn't hungry.

We also haven't had sex in the last few months. She's been so exhausted that she never has the energy; most likely because she doesn't eat and she stays up into the middle of the night reading and studying. I thought I'd been pretty patient through all of this, I was just hoping it wouldn't last too much longer. This wasn't the Emma I fell in love with.

"No thanks, I'm fine with my tea," she smiled halfheartedly.

"Ok," I shrugged and kissed her on her forehead. "I'll see you later, babe."

I closed the front door behind me and skipped down the steps to my car. I wasn't quite sure where the dry cleaners was; I usually had my manager run errands like this for me, but I needed to get out of the house today.

I pulled into a small parking lot and glanced at the piece of paper with the address on it and then back up at the building. I found it.

I put on my Ray Bans as I stepped out of the car and made sure I didn't leave anything valuable inside since I was going topless today. It was surprisingly a nice day for November, nothing like what it was like in London this time of the year.

"Hi," I greeted the lady at the dry cleaners. "I have a pick up for Robert Pattinson."

"Ok," she smiled. "Let me go check on that for you." She headed towards the back of the store as I waited in front of the counter, only to turn around when the bells on the door began to chime, indicating someone else had stepped inside.

She was a petite brunette, struggling with two dress bags and a baby in her arms. "Here, let me help you," I said. I relieved her of the two bags and set them on the counter.

"Thanks," she sighed. Her smile was captivating. "Izzy, you're getting too big for mommy to carry you," she said to the little baby girl who squealed playfully.

"Izzy?" I questioned her. "That's a very pretty name for such a pretty girl," I admired.

"Thanks," the woman smiled. "It's short for Isabella. I'm Sarah by the way," she held out her free hand to shake.

"Robert," I replied grinning. "Do you mind me asking where you're going tonight?" I asked as I peered over at the matching plum colored dresses.

"My best friend's wedding. I'm her maid-of-honor so I'm just getting everything taken care of last minute," she laughed. "The wedding is actually this weekend."

"I see," I nodded.

"Here you are Mr. Pattinson," the woman handed me my black suit.

"Thank you," I told her and took them from her hands. I turned towards the exit. "You're going to make a beautiful maid-of-honor, Sarah," I flashed her a crooked smile. "Bye Izzy." I pushed the door open and headed back to my car.

I laid the suit flat in the backseat of my car. My manager would smother me if I wrinkled it. As I was backing out of my spot, Sarah was placing Izzy in her car seat. I couldn't help but think of how great of a mother Emma would be. [i]Someday.[/i]

I drove through In-n-Out and order a double-double with the fries well done and a Coke. The smell was intoxicating and I couldn't wait to get home to eat it. I pulled into a small gas station and parked my car, hoping I wasn't going to be spotted by the damnn paparazzi.

I turned around and in the car next to me and there's a woman giving a man a blow job! Right there, in the car park! [i]What the funk?[/i]

I shoved the rest of the burger in my mouth and reversed out of the parking lot back on to the main street. [i]Unbelievable,[/i] I laughed.

When I returned home, both all my food and Emma were gone. I decided it was probably a good idea to take a shower since I now smelt of In-n-Out burger. By the time I got out of the shower and changed into the same clothes I had on earlier in the day, Emma was back, her hair pulled up in curlers all over her head.

"Hey," I said coming out of the bathroom into the bedroom. She was lying on the bed doing her makeup in a little portable mirror.

"Hey," she smiled, momentarily looking up from the mirror. "You smell good."

"Thanks. Your hair looks nice."

She laughed. "It's not even done yet."

"I know," I blushed.

"Come here," she said, patting the spot next to her on the bed. I obliged and laid down next to her, crossing my long legs out in front of me. "I'm really excited for tonight," she smiled.

"I'm glad one of us is," I sighed. "You know it's going to be chaos, right?"

"Yeah, but it's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, you worked so hard on it, you should be proud of yourself."

I pulled her face towards mine, not caring if I messed up her mascara that she was applying. My lips pressed firmly to hers as I pinned her down under my body. I rained kisses down her neck to her collarbone. "Rob," she moaned. I shook my head and continued to kiss her neck. She wrapped her arms around my head and tugged on my hair as she pushed her lips on mine.

[i]Finally.[/i]


	83. Chapter 83

CHAPTER 83

Rob's Point-of-View

"You look beautiful," I told Emma as she walked out of the bedroom into the living room. Emma was wearing a floor length beige dress with diamond details coming down the low v-neck.

"Thanks," she blushed. "You look very handsome." She kissed my cheek before grabbing her clutch off the counter. "You're smooth," she teased, running her fingertips down my jaw line.

"Yes, I figured I should probably get rid of the beard…look presentable."

"So you don't care if you look presentable for me?" she questioned.

I laughed as I put my coat on and headed out the door, Emma following after me. "I thought you said you liked the scruff," I said as I locked the door behind us.

"I do," she smiled. "But now that I see you all freshly shaven and dressed up I kind of like you like this too."

"Well don't get used to it," I laughed. "This is special occasions only."

Once she got down the stairs she turned around to face me. I was standing on the last step in front of her. "Does our wedding count as a special occasion?" A smile curved her delicately tinted lips.

"Hm, I don't know," I mused. "It's a possibility. Now come on, let's go." I rotated her shoulders around and smacked her bottom as we walked towards the limo where Nick and Stephanie were waiting.

"Took you long enough," Nick said grimly. "Now we're going to be at least fifteen minutes late. What were you two doing?"

"Don't worry about it," I laughed, slapping him on the shoulder. "We're ready now, let's get this over with." I slid into the limo and sat down next to Emma on the slippery leather seats.

What should have been a ten-minute car ride took about thirty minutes because of all the security and traffic. I can't believe how many people were outside the theater waiting; even more than last year.

"Ok, Rob. I'm going to get out first," Nick said. "Then you and Emma, and then Stephanie will follow behind you."

"Yes sir," I chuckled. "Are you going to hold my hand, too?"

"Rob, shut up. Are you ready?" he asked, his hand on the door handle.

I placed my hand over Emma's, intertwining our fingers together. "Yeah."

Nick swung open the door to the sounds of millions of girls' screams. It was like we were entering the gates of hell.

I stepped out of the limo after Nick and waved to all the fans before holding my hand out for Emma. She looked completely horrified. I didn't blame her; this was insanity.

I followed Nick down the line of press, Emma and Stephanie in tow, stopping every once in a while to answer questions.

"Robert!" a woman from E! called me over. Nick ushered me over to her. "Hi Robert," she smiled. "Nice to see you again."

I don't remember ever seeing her before, but I went along with it. "Hello." I timidly flashed a crooked smile.

"You look very handsome this evening, as usual," she said into the microphone. "Who are you wearing?"

"Who?" I questioned. [i]What the hell does that mean?[/i]

"Prada," Nick mumbled behind me.

"Oh, right. Prada," I answered.

"Very nice," the woman responded. "Do you have a date this evening?" she asked.

"Oh yeah, I do," I looked over at Emma who was standing with Stephanie behind me. "Emma," I waved her over. "This is Emma, my fiancé," I grinned.

"Your fiancé?" she inquired. "Wow, I'm sure you feel like the luckiest woman in the world," she said to Emma.

"Actually," I interjected. "I am the lucky one." I wrapped my hand around Emma's waist, holding her close to me.

"Come on, Rob," Nick said. "Let's keep moving."

The woman overheard Nick. "It was nice talking to you Rob. Congratulations on the engagement."

"Bye," I replied as I walked over to the next reporter with Emma right beside me.

"You ok?" I asked her softly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered.

"Hi Robert!" the next reporter greeted me. "How are you doing this evening? Are you excited for tonight?"

[i]So many questions.[/i] "Hi, I'm doing great," I answered. "And yes, I'm very excited to see how the movie turned out," I lied with a smile on my face.

"So are we," she exclaimed. "Now let's talk about this hair of yours. How do you get it to look like that? It's like sex hair."

"Ha," I chuckled. "Well, [i]how do you get sex hair?[/i] I asked. I turned to Emma who was as bright red as a tomato.

"Oh well that explains it, I suppose," the woman laughed. "Have a great night Robert."

After about an hour of answering the same questions over and over again we finally made it inside the theater. There was about ten minutes before the movie started and I was literally shaking in my seat.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked me laughing.

"No," I answered. "I think I'm going to go take a smoke. I'll be right back."

I hopped up out of my seat and darted for the exit, pulling a pack of cigarettes from my back pocket. I lit one up and paced back and forth outside the lobby. I hated watching myself on the screen or anywhere for that matter. I even hated looking at myself in the mirror. It was especially nerve-wracking to have Emma there watching it with me. I didn't want her to think I was a complete fool.

I must have been out here for a while because Emma came outside to look for me. "There you are," she smiled. "The movie is starting."

"I don't want to watch it," I told her. "You go on inside; I'll just wait in the limo until it's over."

"Oh quit being such a baby," she teased. "I came here with you, the least you can do is stay with me."

"Fine," I muttered. "Then you can sit in the limo with me."

"Rob, come on. I don't see what the big deal is. It's just a movie."

"I hate watching myself, Em. I get all fidgety and it's just so embarrassing. Please don't make me do it."

"Fine," she sighed. "Let's go." She grabbed my hand and led me to the parking lot to where the limos were lined up. "Which one do you think is ours?"

There had to have been at least ten limos outside. [i]Shitt.[/i] "Uh, I don't know," I laughed.

"Hmm. I guess we're just going to have to go back inside," Emma stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, I'll find it," I told her. I walked over towards the limos and peered inside each one. "Here it is," I called to her. "Nick's notebook is in this one."

"Is the door even unlocked?" Emma questioned as she walked towards me.

I lifted the handle and opened the door. "Yes." [i]Thank God. I was finally in a safe place.[/i]

Emma slid inside after me and closed the door behind her.

"Thanks," I mumbled. "I just couldn't stand to be in there any longer."

"It's ok," she smiled mischievously. "Your sex hair was kind of losing its shape anyway." She held up her dress as she wrapped her legs around my waist. "We should probably fix that," she whispered in my ear.


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Rob's Point-of-View

"Rob!" I heard Emma call my name from the bedroom.

"Yeah?" I answered, walking into the room.

She turned around on her tiptoes and smiled. "I need help. I can't reach my suitcase up there." She pointed to her bag on the top shelf of the closet.

"Watch out," I laughed. I stepped inside the closet and pulled it down with two hands, setting it on the ground for her.

"Thank you, sir."

"You're very welcome ma'am," I kissed the top of her head before returning to the living room where I was watching TV. I had finished packing before the premiere so I didn't have to worry about it later, unlike Emma.

About twenty-minutes later, Emma strolled out of the bedroom, her large suitcase rolling behind her. I stopped with the packing jokes long ago; over packing was just something she did.

I checked my watch. "We have about ten minutes before we have to leave."

"Ok," she smiled and laid down on the couch next to me, resting her head on my chest. I ran my fingertips up and down her arm in a soothing pattern. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was slowed. She must have been exhausted.

After letting her sleep for about fifteen minutes, I carefully picked her up and headed towards the car. She poked her head up slightly once we got outside. "Mmm," she moaned.

"It's ok, Em. You can sleep in the car and on the plane," I assured her. She wrapped her arms around my neck until I set her gently into the passenger's seat. I buckled her in and then closed the door. I ran back up to the apartment to get our bags, locked up, and then met her back in the car.

With the turn of the key in the ignition, my Kings of Leon CD started blasting. "Funk," I whispered, quickly turning the volume knob down. Emma slightly moved in her seat, but her eyes remained closed. I sighed as I backed out of the parking lot and headed for the airport.

"Emma, sweetheart," I said softly. She opened her eyes, a smile curved along her lips. I mirrored her expression. "We're at the airport. You're going to have to wake up now."

"Darn," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "I was having a [i]very[/i] good dream." She unfastened her seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

Once we both grabbed our bags from the trunk and started walking towards the check-in I leaned in to ask her, "What were you dreaming about?"

She handed the man her bag and turned to me with a sinful grin on her face. "You."

I chuckled as I ran my hand through my hair, hurrying to catch up to Emma who was already going through security. "Was it a good dream?" I asked her, whispering through her long blonde hair.

"Mhmm," she mumbled, still not turning around.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders. "Why dream when you can have the real thing?"

Emma shrugged and pulled my hand from around her shoulder, holding it lightly in hers. "I can't smell you in my dreams."

"Wow," I laughed. "You really are mean!"

She wrapped her arms around my torso as we continued to board the plane. "I'm kidding!" she laughed.

"I don't smell," I muttered defensively.

"You have to admit it was a good joke," she teased.

I motioned Emma to take a seat by the window. I always loved the window seat; staring out into the open clear sky really helped pass the time, but I knew Emma enjoyed it so I let her have it.

"Would you like me to ask for a seat change so my smell doesn't bother you?" I asked only half-jokingly.

"No," she tugged on my t-shirt and pulled herself closer to me, resting her head on my chest. "Good night," she said softly before dozing off to sleep.

"Good night," I whispered.

* * *

"Emma!" Emma's mother exclaimed when she opened the door. "Aw hunny, I'm so glad to see you!" she wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"Rob," Mr. Westman stated, pulling me into a hug.

"Nice to see you sir," I told him. "Hi Mrs. Westman."

"Come inside! Dinner is all ready," Mrs. Westman proclaimed.

The house was decorated in fall colors; tall cream-colored candles lit the dining room table.

I pulled out a chair for Emma and then took a seat next to her facing her parents. It was a small intimate setting and I couldn't help but feel like I was in Holly's place. I erased that thought from my mind as I scooped up some mashed potatoes on my plate. "Everything looks great," I told them.

"Yeah," Emma agreed. "I'm sorry we couldn't be here sooner to help with everything. We picked up a pie on the way over though, it's on the counter."

Mrs. Westman waved her fork at us. "Don't be silly. We're just glad you two are here. It's been lonely with just us two around. We need some young people in the house more often," she laughed.

The room was silent except for the sounds of forks and knives hitting the porcelain plates.

"Have you two started planning yet?" Mrs. Westman asked, looking up at Emma and me.

"Planning what?" Emma questioned once she swallowed.

"The wedding," Mr. Westman answered for his wife.

I cleared my throat, a little uncomfortable. I honestly hadn't thought about the wedding since Holly's death. I didn't think it would be happening for a while.

"No, not really," Emma replied softly, staring down at her plate.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Mrs. Westman responded excitedly. "I need [i]something[/i] to do!"

Mr. Westman rolled his eyes. "Your mother has already started looking at dresses."

Emma's mom hit him playfully in the arm and then looked up at us with a smile on her face. "I've just been keeping my eye out."

"Mom," Emma whined. "I still have a semester left of school."

"Well you've always talked about wanting a spring wedding, sweetie. If that's the case we need to start planning now."

Emma turned to look at me, but I was too distracted by the overabundance of food in front of me. "I think your mom is right," I told her. "A spring wedding will be nice."

"I don't know, that's so soon," Emma replied, eyeing me. I knew she would talk me out of this when we were alone so I knew I had to change her mind right here with her parents with us.

"But why wait?" I asked her, setting my fork and knife down on the edge of my plate. "You said yourself you wanted to get married after you graduated college."

"I know but that was before…" she stopped herself.

"Emma," her father spoke softly. "What do [i]you[/i] want to do?"

Emma's eyes moved from one person to the next until they reached mine. "I want to marry you…" she said quietly. "…this spring."

I kissed the side of her head and grabbed her hand in mine under the table.

"Oh hunny!" her mother exclaimed. "I'm so excited! We can start dress shopping tomorrow!"

"Look what you've done," Emma said under her breath to me, but all I could do was smile. I'd be a husband in less than six months.

[i]Ok, now I'm freaking out.[/i]


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Rob's Point-of-View

"I can't believe you did that," Emma said as she dropped her suitcase onto the wood floor in the doorway of our house in San Francisco. The house was still pretty empty, only containing a couch, some stools for the kitchen, and a bed. It was enough for our short weekend visits that we took every month or so.

"What?" I questioned her as I moved both of our bags to the bedroom. She followed me inside.

"You totally cornered me at dinner! I can't win the fight if you choose my parents' side," she explained.

I chuckled. "Well, I was just stating my opinion and I just so happen to agree with them." I pinned her against the wall, my fingertips barely touching the wall on either side of her face. "What do you have against marrying me?"

"Nothing," she smiled. "It's the time factor that scares me."

I backed away, releasing my hands from the wall. "Then we don't get married in spring."

"Rob," she sighed, grabbing my hand in hers. "You know I would marry you right here right now if I could."

"Why can't you?" I asked her.

"Because it just doesn't feel right." She plopped down on the bed, fumbling with the bottom of her shirt. "It just seems too soon. I wouldn't feel right celebrating something so incredibly happy when Holly isn't here."

"Em," I said taking a seat next to her. "You can't do that to yourself. You shouldn't feel guilty about being happy."

"But I do."

"Get up," I told her.

She glanced up at me, her eyes piercingly blue.

"Get up, I said," laughing. "Come on." I grabbed her hand and led her out the front door back to the car.

"Rob," she droned. "Where are you taking me?"

I didn't answer her. I put the car in reverse and swung out of the driveway. Emma's eyes remained locked on the view from outside the window. The streets were empty except for a few cars once in a while. No one was really out driving around past midnight on Thanksgiving.

I pulled the rental car into a clearing on the side of the road and parked it. "You are so weird, Rob," Emma sighed as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Are we really having sex in the car on the side of the road?"

I raised my eyebrows. "That wasn't my plan," I laughed. "But now that you brought that up…" I leaned over the center console and kissed her neck. "…Can we?"

She giggled but opened the door to let herself out. I climbed out of the car and walked around the front to meet her. "Maybe after you tell me why we are here."

"Ok, come on," I said, holding my hand out for her. I led her towards the back of a tall building.

"Uh, Rob? What are you doing? What is this place?" she asked.

I propped open the window, removing the screen, and then jumped inside.

"Rob!" Emma shouted.

I unlocked the door from the inside and held it open for her. "Be quiet," I told her and replaced the screen back on the window. She walked towards me nervously, her arms crossed over her chest. "Don't be afraid." I reached out for her hand and brought her to the stairwell. Emma started running up the stairs behind me, all the way up until the top.

"Rob, I [i]am[/i] scared. It's dark and quiet. Why are we here?"

I ran a little bit further, up two more flights of stairs and then swung the door open, stepping out into the night's cool breeze on the roof of the building. "Because," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "Look at this." I walked towards the edge of the roof and peered out to my surroundings: the lights of every building in the city on one side, the darkness of the rural areas on the other, and the blinking stars to the north. "It's beautiful."

I felt Emma walk up beside me. "It's incredible," she breathed.

I wrapped my arm around her waist protectively. "Let's sit," I said. I held her tightly as we both lowered down to the ground, curling our legs under so we were both sitting in Indian-style.

"How did you find this place?" Emma questioned. Even though it was pitch black I could still see the intensity in her eyes.

"We drive by it all the time and it reminded me of a place back in London. Bobby and I used to hang out on the roof of this one building for hours just writing songs," I explained.

She turned to me and smiled. "It's crazy that after eighteen years of me living here in this town, I never once noticed this building. Now every time I see it –"

"You can think of us," I grinned.

She leaned back gradually, her head hitting the cold cement gently. I mimicked her action and laid down beside her.

"Wow," I murmured.

It was quiet for a long while, but I knew she was happy. Sometimes silence was the most intimate. I listened closely to her breathing and the sound of the random cars that would drive by every once and a while.

"How do you picture our wedding?" I asked her.

Her head rotated in my direction. "I don't know," she mused. "Small, just our closet family and friends. And outside. What do you think?"

"Would you mind if we had it in London? I know your family and friends are here, but I can fly them myself and –"

"London sounds perfect," she interjected.

I tilted my head down to kiss her forehead. "Thank you."

"But if it rains on my wedding day, Rob. You owe me," she laughed. "Big time."

I chuckled. "It won't rain and if it does you'll still be the most beautiful bride," I smiled as I pictured her walking down the aisle soaked from head to toe.

"Have you asked Tom to be your best man yet?" she asked.

"No," I answered. "But I'm sure he already assumes he is."

"Well you should still ask!" she exclaimed giggling. "How many groomsmen are you going to have? Because I was thinking of five bridesmaids…Keeana, Amanda, Lizzy, Victoria, and Madison," she rambled on.

"Uh," I laughed. "I haven't really thought of any of this."

"And you're the one who was wanting to get married so soon," she teased. "Didn't think there was this much to think about did you?"

"No," I admitted. "But can we discuss weddings tomorrow, sweetheart?"

"Sorry, I'm talking too much. I'll shut up," she replied as she rested her head on my chest.

* * *

"Ahhhhhh!"

I woke up to a loud shriek that nearly made me jump out of my own skin. I opened my eyes to a startled Emma, shaking as she sat cross-legged beside me. "What?" I exclaimed. "Are you ok?"

She steadied her breathing. "I'm fine," she gasped. "I just forgot where we were."

I chuckled as I brought her closer to me, sitting between my legs and leaning her back against my chest. "You're safe, I promise," I told her. "We must have fallen asleep up here." It was broad daylight and the street traffic was much heavier.

"We should get going," she said, standing up. "People are going to be arriving to work soon."

I followed her to the staircase. "Let me go first," I said, stepping in front of her.

We rushed down the numerous flights of stairs to the bottom. I pushed the door open as a man walked inside, eyeing Emma and I. "Good morning," I nodded to him. Emma started laughing behind me. "Shh," I told her. "You'll blow our cover."

"What cover?" she laughed.

We made it passed a few more employees until we got out front. "Cars still here. That's a good sign," I said as I pulled the keys out of my pocket. "Should we go to your parents' house?" I asked.

"Sure," she nodded. "I guess we better start planning this wedding."


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

RPOV

Between filming, press and flying back and forth between Vancouver and LA, I kept myself pretty damn busy. But still, that wasn't enough. Emma insisted – was adamant—that I help with the wedding planning.

"At least pretend that you want to be here, Rob," she said, glaring at me from across the aisle of flowers.

I forced the biggest smile I could manage.

"You're such a dick," she muttered. "What do you think of these?" she asked, holding up a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers.

"Those are brilliant. I choose those," I said enthusiastically.

She tossed the bouquet back on the table, disgusted. "They are fucking ugly. You know I hate pink."

"If you hated them then why did you ask me what I thought of them?" I questioned, extremely annoyed now. She had to be PMSing. And if not, I was dealing with a world-class bridezilla here.

She huffed, rolling her eyes. "I wanted to make sure you were actually paying attention and not going along with whatever I wanted. This is our wedding, Rob."

"I could care less about the fucking flowers, Em," I murmured, checking the time on my phone. I was supposed to meet the guys at the bar in a half hour. When I glanced back up at her she had tears in her eyes. For fuck's sake. "Emma, Jesus. Don't cry over flowers. Please," I begged. "You should be happy that your fiancé doesn't care about the floral arrangements."

The tears trickled down her cheeks and she wiped them away quickly.

I surrendered, drawing her into a hug. "You really need a gay best friend to do this stuff with," I laughed, combing my fingers in her hair.

"Let's go," she said, pulling away. "I'm over this."

"You sure?" I asked, silently praying that she was indeed ready to leave.

"Yes," she smiled. "I know you have to meet your friends soon and honestly, I can't look at any more flowers today. It's making me sick. I'll come back another day with the girls. I probably should have gone with them in the first place." She laced her fingers in mine as we walked through the parking lot to my car. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"What was that?" I asked, smirking.

"I'm sorry, Robert," she repeated, rolling her eyes.

"It's okay, darling," I grinned. "We all have our days."

"You seriously are a dick."

Tom, Bobby, Marcus and Sam all met me at the Bar Marmont. It was the first time we had all been together in over two years.

"Here comes the groom, here comes the groom!" Marcus sang goofily and the others chimed in.

"Hey!" I said, giving each one of them a pat on the back as they stood up from the table to greet me. "Sorry I'm late. I was on flower duty."

"Flower duty, eh?" Sam questioned. "And how'd that go?"

"It went about as well as my invitation, venue and meal duties," I chuckled. "But I think my duties are about over, at least, I hope so."

"I still can't believe you are the first to get married," Bobby mumbled.

"And who did you think would be the first?" I asked, curious.

"Me," Bobby stated as though it were obvious.

We all burst into laughter.

"What?" Bobby asked. "I'm the nice, pretty one."

"You're time will come," I told him, rubbing his shoulder encouragingly.

"After you get that gap fixed," Sam murmured softly.

The laughter erupted once again and continued on for most of the night, especially after we all got a few rounds of beers and shots down us.

"Before I forget," I exclaimed after we each took our fourth shot of whiskey. "I have something for you guys." I reached into my jacket pockets and dumped 4 cases of cigars on the table. "These are to be smoked at my wedding where I am hoping you would do me the greatest honor of being my groomsmen."

Sam wiped away an invisible tear. "I bet that was fucking better than your proposal spiel!"

"So is that a yes?" I asked.

"Of course!" Bobby said, peeking at the cigars. "These are nice ones!"

"Only the best for you, Bugaboo," I giggled.

At the end of the night, Bobby, Sam and Marcus took a cab to their hotel and Tom rode with me back to Emma's and my new house.

"You've been awfully quiet tonight. Everything okay?" I asked, massaging my temples. I could already feel the hangover coming on.

He nodded, "I'm okay, honestly. I'm a lot better than I was. Swear."

After Holly's death, Tom secluded himself from everyone for months. He stopped caring about everything – his career, his friends and most of all himself. He wasn't suicidal or anything, but he just needed to deal with the loss in his own way. From what Art said, he spent a good amount of his savings on whiskey and cigarettes. I was too caught up in filming and making sure that Emma was alright that I forgot that Tom was hurting. I was a lousy friend during that time and Emma made sure I knew that. She was a better friend to Tom than I was.

"I'm sorry, Tom. I should have been there for you," I said. "And I wasn't."

"I needed to be by myself. You know me," he chuckled softly. "I'm a bloody loner."

I laughed quietly. "You know I want you to be my best man, right?"

"I'd like that," he smiled. "I'd like that a lot."

"Good, because I can't imagine any other arse standing next to me as I get married."

"Mmm." Emma moaned and stirred when I climbed in under the covers next to her. "How was it?" she asked groggily, turning to face me.

I traced her face in the darkness and leaned in to kiss her. "It was great."

"Is everyone excited about being groomsmen?" she asked, still sleepy.

"Yes, especially Tom."

"Good," she smiled against my lips and kissed me again. "How is Tom?"

"He's sound asleep in the guest bedroom," I chuckled. "He's excited to see you, though."

She yawned. "Yes, well, I am very excited to see him too. Him and his lumberjack beard," she giggled.

"You like that? I was thinking about letting mine grow out," I smiled, teasingly.

"I'll shave it in your sleep, Pattinson!"

"Mmm, I don't know about that Miss Westman."

"Call me, Mrs. Pattinson."

"Who are you? My mother?" I questioned, appalled. I threw the sheets off of me and jumped out of the bed.

She giggled, burying her face into the pillow. "If I wasn't so tired, I'd get up and swat you!"

"Is that so?"

"Come back to bed, please."

"Yes, Mrs. Pattinson," I agreed and curled up behind her in bed. "I love you," I whispered in her ear.

"I love you too, dick."


End file.
